Skeletons
by Supernatural Goddess
Summary: Known to the people of Forks as Bella Swan, Isabella Stevenson knows Fate hates her. Between having a demon mother, a boyfriend she hates, and a Halliwell for an ex in her opinion if things don't change someone's going to die.
1. Vampire Boy

First story constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed if I did Chris never would have died and Prue and Andy would have returned as whitelighters. R+R please

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**Vampire boy**

Just why was she here again, Isabella Stevenson thought looking at the pouring rain. A stupid question as she knew perfectly well why she was here.

Known to the people of Forks, Washington as Bella Swan the klutzy girl who was dating Edward Cullen, she wished once again that she had died in the mission that shall-not-be-named two years ago. At least then she could sit around the afterlife and make fun of all the people she hates, but no.

It was getting more obvious every day that Fate hated her more than she originally thought. It was bad enough that she had to come here under the disguise of fragile, delicate, Bella Swan but to be informed that she had to get the only single Cullen to fall in love with her was crossing the line.

She'd thought it'd be easy. Come out here long enough to gain the vampires trust than ask them if they were willing to join her mom's cause and if they refused blow them all to bits. Oh how foolish she'd been

.But since when are things ever that simple. Before she knew it a few weeks turned into a few months and the not-so-single Cullen was basically obsessed with her.

Nope things were definitely not going according to plan and it was seriously pissing her off.

So here she was sitting in the Cullen's living room- which was far too white in her opinion- hearing Edward -or the dull, uptight one as she had taken to calling him in her mind- go on about how much of a monster he is and how he's not human while she stared out a window nodding occasionally to make it seem like she was listening.

Hello angst much? And as for not being human considering that she herself wasn't fully human she had to say that it really wasn't as bad as everyone seems to think.

Plus you can't magically become un-human you're either born that way or you're not it's as simple as that. Even if you're turned into a demon you're still considered human by the demonic population.

You were also considered a loser and had to endure an eternity of verbal insults, but that was beside the point.

Glancing at the clock she saw that she'd been here for twenty minutes and he still hasn't stopped angsting.

Source, that was annoying. She couldn't take it anymore one more minute of this and she swore she was going to vanquish him.

Plastering on a fake smile and filling her eyes with false love and adoration she turned to him. "Edward, it's getting late and I'm sure Charlie will be home soon."

Edward finally stopped his angst fest and agreed. Getting into his Volvo she sat back and listened to Claire Du Lune play.

_I wonder how mom is, _she thought staring out the window again.

She hadn't heard from her mother in several months and hoped that at least Renee was having better luck than she was.

Her mom probably hated her too. That was the only reason Bella could think of for her to send her here by herself.

Note to self: vanquish Todd the demon who assigns missions if she can't vanquish her mother.

Becoming aware of the fact that Edward was now carrying her out of the car, as always paying no mind to the fact that she could walk perfectly fine, she once more put that fake expression on.

Bella had to be careful. If she wasn't her face might just become stuck that way.

Charlie wasn't home as she already knew so she set to work with making dinner which she had decided on the way would be a platter of fruit.

Not exactly dinner but that, she decided, was the beauty of it. Cutting a cantaloupe she arranged it off to the side.

She was a decent cook, better than her mother but nowhere near Piper Halliwell. It still kind of hurt to think about the Halliwell's. They'd talked every once in a while but hadn't actually seen each other in two years.

There was one particular Halliwell that she missed the most even if she wouldn't admit it. Wyatt.

She'd unintentionally fallen in love with the oldest Halliwell of her generation. But then it was hard not to.

He was sweet, caring, polite, good-looking, protective, and over all willing to accept anyone if they prove themselves worthy. He'd accepted her when they met a year after she had told him she was half-demon and left.

Not exactly her finest moment she'd have to say looking back on it.

Coming back to the kitchen before she chopped her finger off she glanced at Edward who was lounging on a chair at **her** table.

Well technically her father's table but still, look at him acting like he owns the place. Oh, how much she wished that she could vanquish him right this minute.

Unfortunately, she had been given orders not to vanquish any of the vampires unless they declined the offer. Truthfully, Edward was the only one she really wanted to vanquish.

She actually liked the others. Granted Alice was a bit annoying with her insistence to dress her up like a Barbie doll and Emmett was kind of overbearing but besides that they were okay.

Though their living room was far too white, this in her opinion was reason enough to vanquish them. Speaking of white, one other thing she hated about this mission was that Bella Swan didn't have a Gothic fashion sense. Therefore she had to give her style up as long as she was here.

Hearing the front door open she finished off the fruit platter. Charlie walked in giving Edward a stiff 'hello' though not for the reason Edward thinks.

He silently took the plate she offered him and retreated into the living room glaring at Edward all the way. Sigh, she truly loved her father.

Making sure to eat as quickly as she could while Edward creepily watched her she soon finished, cleaned her plate, and dealt with Edward's self-hatred again.

Seriously, if you hate yourself that much than find some vampire to kill you, Source knows that you'd be doing everyone a favor. All that self-hatred could not be mentally healthy.

Finally the time came. Thanking every all powerful being she could think of that it was finally nine she ushered him out the door and collapsed onto the couch in the living room to cherish the time she had left before he came back.

Charlie calmly looked at her and said his voice full of relief. "Thank God vampire boy is finally gone." So do I father dearest, so do I.


	2. Ecofriendly club?

**On my profile I said I'd update on Friday but I decided that as I had the chapter ready I'd post it today. I also realized I forgot the disclaimer for Twilight. Thanks to everybody who put me on alert or reviewed you're the best. R+R please.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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**Eco-friendly club?**

Sitting up she replied, "For the moment."

Charlie winced in sympathy. "Heard from Renee at all?" She shook her head. "Well kiddo don't worry I'm sure you'll hear from her soon."

She smiled. He might not be entirely used to this dad thing but he was pretty good at it. Renee sure didn't deserve him.

"Yeah well the sooner the better in my opinion." He nodded. He knew that while she liked living with him it wasn't where she belonged. She was grateful to him for being so understanding.

"I'm going to go check my e-mail. Maybe I'll get lucky and someone will decide to stalk me. Source knows I could do with some action." She heard him laughing as she padded up the stairs.

Waiting forever for the computer to load she walked over to her closet. The time that Edward had once hid in here had been her own way of testing how well her real stuff was hidden.

There was a door on the ceiling that looked like it led to the attic. What no one besides Charlie, Renee, and herself knew was that the real entrance to the attic was in Charlie's room. This one led to something quite different.

There was no way to climb up there without a ladder but she'd already thought of that before installing it. Even if you got a ladder you'd never be able to open it. It would appear as if it was stuck from disuse.

The only way you could was magic, demonic magic to be specific.

Conjuring a fireball she threw it at the ceiling. Instantly a set of stairs fell neatly in front of her, so it might be a bit flashy but as Forks was dull as could be, she felt that flash, however unnecessary, was needed. Grasping the bars she proceeded to climb up them and through the door.

She appeared in a room. It was a huge room that had various things that could be used in both magical and hand to hand combat as well as books for whenever research was unavoidable. The sound of her footsteps echoed as she walked across the marble floor.

If she hadn't already known she never would have guessed that she was in Magic School. One advantage about the school was that no one knew how big it was and that you only see what you're meant to. She thought briefly that you could play a killer game of hide and seek before pushing that thought away.

The only ones who could find the room were people that had either seen it or been told about it. Since coming to Forks this room had become her haven. She could get away whenever she wanted and as long as she minded the time no one would know.

Going over to the corner of the room that was like a study she sat on the couch and looked around. It had been awhile since she had really looked at it.

As it was so big it allowed for there to be separate areas for everything. There were bookshelves full of books on just about anything, a cupboard full of potion ingredients, mats and pillows for training, weapons, even a mini kitchen stocked with junk food and various other unhealthy things.

The one thing that both her and her two best friends Donny and Stef agreed was the most impressive was their spell book that sat on the floor. Just because it was their pride and joy didn't mean that they treated it very well, they were teenagers after all. But back to the point.

They'd first started making it when they were twelve out of a spiral notebook and had eventually created a leather bound cover for it. It had taken over six months to make it look perfect.

The three of them had all added something to it, she'd added potions that she'd either read about or made herself.

While they'd all added spells, Donny had added the most in not only English but French and Italian as well. Not all were modern, some tracing back to the Middle Ages.

Stef, who practiced Wicca and whose great-grandmother was a witch, had put in the different runes and what they did and could be used for as well as the properties of colors, stones, herbs, and trees.

Others had also contributed things to it. Wyatt had added demon entries from the Warren Book of Shadows that he thought they might need some day.

Henry J. had shown a rare moment of humanity and put in a spell and potion he'd made up to protect your mind from attack.

Stef had briefly wondered why he'd do that if he hated them. Donny had then reminded her of the understanding the two had reached in the afterlife in the alternate timeline, and that Henry was indifferent to him as well as being my friend so while he might dislike us he didn't hate us.

She smiled as she remembered it; it truly had been an odd day.

_It had been a long day, I thought making the final touches to a potion I'd written in. We'd ran into Wyatt, Chris and Henry J. for the first time in a year and they'd, or more like Wyatt as the other two already knew, explained how just because we were half-demon that didn't mean they hated us._

_We'd gone to the nearest coffee shop and caught up. Well more like Wyatt and Chris had, Henry J. had sat there and glared at anything that moved with the exception of me and Wyatt._

_Wyatt because the two of them were best friends despite the four year age difference and me because we'd gotten close in the alternate timeline which everyone one but, once again, Wyatt remembered._

_I really hoped he never find out about that because not only would he feel bad about being evil but he'd also feel extremely betrayed. _

_But anyway, as that was the way that Henry J. always acted when he was around anybody but Wyatt and I, I wasn't too concerned._

_Somehow we'd ended up telling them about our spell book that we had named Neutre which meant neutral in French. They were some of the few that got why we named it that._

_So we'd taken them to the room and they'd added things that they remembered off the top of their heads. Yes, even Henry who we'd expected would stand there hating the world the way he always acted like he did._

_I knew the truth though. The truth was that despite what he made people think- that he was a bratty person who cared only for himself and wouldn't mind if someone died right in front of him so long as it didn't affect him- I knew that he did actually care._

_This time around it wasn't just Wyatt and I as it always seemed to be. This time everybody in the room knew. _

_They'd just left five minutes ago and now I sat down at the table with Stef and Donny and drank hot chocolate._

_Stef suddenly said out of nowhere, "I wonder why Henry put in something so useful. Especially given what his power is and the fact that he hates us." I knew why she was saying that._

_I myself had thought the world must be ending when Donny's mother- who while being an extremely beautiful French witch was also extremely cold to everyone with the exception of Donny who it was obvious she loved more than anything- had added to the book._

_So to have Henry put something in that was actually something we could use was practically unheard of._

"_I thought you two had reached an understanding in the other timeline? But even so Henry and I have a mutual indifference towards each other, as well as the fact that he and Izzy are friends. " Donny said putting more marshmallows in his hot chocolate as all the other ones melted. _

"_True I can't believe I forgot that." Stef said in her English accent, brushing a lock of her black and blue hair behind her ear._

"_Well it was an entirely different lifetime even if we do remember it." I stated. Alternate timelines were so confusing. _

_What I didn't add was that as she was sort of dead at the time it was understandable that she might not remember fully. I could tell that they both knew by the amused looks they were giving me._

"_Anyway on to something more important mainly the mission Izzy and I have to go on next week." Donny said. Stef and I nodded our agreement and we started getting in as much extra training as we could._

As much as she wished that she could sit here and reminisce all day she knew that she had to get back before Edward got there. Tonight like every night since they 'got together' would be pure torture.

Especially considering that Renee told her to delay the assignment until she could send someone down to help take care of it if they don't cooperate. She hadn't been told who this person was originally going to be but after much begging Renee finally agreed that Donny could help when he was free.

Now a month later she hoped that whatever assignment he was on would be over soon because she didn't know how long she could take this.

Glancing at the clock on the wall she found that she really had to leave. Not wanting to climb down back into her room tonight she flamed out.

Back in her room once more she saw that the computer was done and logged in. She had one message from Renee.

Clicking on it she read:

_Bella,_

_Unfortunately I haven't been able to speak to you recently. I hope that you're doing well. Phil and I have met some new friends that seem to be dedicated to the eco-friendly club that I established many years ago._

_I can't talk much longer but hope to bring you good news about the club soon. You're one of my two best members after all. Say hi to Charlie for me and make sure that you give Edward and his family an invitation to the club when Donny gets there._

_Yes, I've finally given you permission to speed things up but make sure you wait for Donny before rushing in. As you know sending an invitation is a delicate process that must be handled with care._

_Love,_

_Renee_

Speed things up. She could finally speed things up which meant that Donny shouldn't be much longer. She felt like dancing. Not only could she soon be gone but she'd get to see Donny as well.

This meant that she'd also see Stef soon. She missed her best friends more than anything. It was almost like a part of her was missing when they were apart. A feeling she'd had every day in the other timeline. Though it was weaker there and she once again hated herself for thinking that had it been Donny she was without instead of Stef it would have hurt more.

Bella loved both her friends of course but even so she and everybody who had seen them together knew that Donny and she would always be just a bit closer. Pushing it all to the back of her mind she sprawled across her bed arms dangling.

The thing that was also on her mind was Renee's e-mail. She couldn't help but snort. Eco-friendly club. Right that's what it was. She knew it was code, knew that Renee couldn't put what it really was in an e-mail but still.

She really didn't feel like dealing with Edward any more today. After changing into her PJ's she made sure that her window was securely fastened and set the alarm that was so rarely used as it was a small town.

Creeping into the living room she set up the couch next to the chair that Charlie had fallen asleep in. Good luck getting in tonight Edward without waking the whole house. With that last thought she fell asleep.

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**Chapter 3 should be up by Friday. Till then have a good week everyone.**


	3. A Way of Life

**This chapter's shorter than the last but I think the last few paragraphs are my best so far. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted, fav'd, or took the time to read you're all the best.**

**I won't be updating again until probably next Saturday due to the holiday's but on to the story. R+R please.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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**A Way of Life**

The sound of the front door closing woke her up. Okay, more like it caused her to go into paranoid assassin mode but as that was the way Isabella Stevenson has acted since the age of twelve when she got her first mission that wasn't surprising.

Finding that there wasn't a visible threat anywhere in the room she relaxed her defensive stance. Maybe she really was as tense as everyone said.

Sitting down she wondered what she would do today. Namely how to avoid Edward. She was being childish and that she couldn't avoid him forever but she couldn't help it he was always there which only increased the hate she had had for him since the moment they met.

Well one thing she did know was that he couldn't be avoided here. Five minutes later she was sliding a potion she's grabbed yesterday into the pocket of her jeans. You couldn't be too careful and as much as a fight to the death would entertain her she would rather not get vanquished when she was so close to being out of here.

Grabbing a jacket that she didn't need and an umbrella she flamed into a bathroom in a coffee house she knew about in Seattle.

Ordering a cappuccino she knocked over someone's chair and claimed the table as her own. She then found she desperately needed to talk to someone as she was bored within a minute. Looking down at the guy she had knocked down who was gaping at her in shock she asked, "Do you have a cell phone I could use?"

When getting no response she decided to elaborate in case he didn't understand. "Cell phone. You know a device that you could talk to someone on. Now a day's tend to be smaller than your hand. Do you have one?"

Wordlessly he nodded and shakily handed it to her. Beaming down at him she said a quick 'thanks' and dialed a familiar number not really caring that the Floor Guy will be charged for long distance. As it rang she noticed he was still there.

Glaring down at him and huffing in annoyance she said. "Do you mind? I'll give it back to you if that's what you're worried about just go." She smirked as he scrambled up and to a table on the other side of the shop.

Hearing the person pick up on the other end she stopped smirking at the guy.

"Hello. Who is this? If it's some creep I swear…" An even more familiar voice said.

"Well it depends on your definition of creep but I don't personally think I'm one." She replied.

"Izzy? Okay which poor person's phone did you steal this time?" Stef asked. She could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

"I don't know some guy I knocked over." She spared a glance at the guy who abruptly stared at the table when he saw her looking. Loser.

"Nice. Now I ask you did you really knock him over or did you go out of your way to shove him and make it look like an accident." She smiled at the British girl's words.

"Which do you think? You're probably right. But on to the reason I called. Have you heard from Donny lately?" Bella asked.

Stef sounding puzzled as well as a little worried replied. "No. I thought he was on one of your mom's assignments."

"He is." She said hastily knowing her friend would start worrying. "I just was wondering because the sooner he gets here the sooner I can get out and we can all set your aunt's wig on fire."

"Oh, well I haven't heard from him but I do know where Renee sent him." Bella could hear her relief that it wasn't anything bad. But what Renee had told Stef who wasn't a part of the 'eco-friendly club' but she hadn't told her.

"My mom told you?" She said. After some thought she realized it made sense to tell Stef.

Stef wasn't magical despite being descended from a witch, therefore no demon that wasn't on their side would even know she existed let alone knew anything valuable. And this way she could be told and not have it cause any suspicion.

After hearing a 'yes' in reply she asked, "Where?"

"Why the land of his ancestors or to normal people France." It didn't really surprise her.

The two of them-they had been partners before this and Renee's best members despite their age-had only been sent out of the country on a mission once before to infiltrate a magically school in Scotland but she knew Renee was interested in what demons in other parts of the world thought of her organization.

"Thanks." A glance at the clock told her she had to go. Time must hate her too. "Look I've got to go but I'll talk to you as soon as this mission's over."

"Bye Izzy say hi to Donny for me when you see him."

"I will. Bye."

She flipped the phone closed, downed the last of her cappuccino, and crossed the shop. Dropping the phone in front of Floor Guy she walked out.

Seattle was beautiful in its own way. Walking aimlessly around the city glancing at the shops on occasion she felt content as well as bored.

It was official. She needed to kill something.

Reluctant to leave though knowing she'd burst if she didn't vanquish something within the next five minutes she ducked into the nearest alley and flamed to the underworld. The Underworld, she had always felt oddly safe there.

Renee would take her- and Donny when his mom let her-there when she was younger. Bella had loved everything. The feeling of danger, hearing the screams as demons were vanquished and wondering if it was done by a demon or a witch, taunting the demons trapped in purgatory.

Of course there had been some not so pleasant times. Like that time that she'd almost falling in when taunting. Luckily Donny had grabbed her before she did. Or when some witches- teenagers who thought they were more powerful than they were and had decided to rebel by going to the underworld- had vanquished one of her favorite demons.

He had been a young upper-level demon who she had been convinced at the time she would marry one day- Donny being her backup if he refused- and had been kind, for a demon at least, who those damn teenagers killed.

The teenagers themselves had clearly thought they were rescuing to children the demon had kidnapped. Oh, how very wrong they were. They hadn't killed them but Donny and she were pretty sure they would never disobey their parents again when it came to demons even if they did appear to be children.

Now she prowled around on the lookout. Among demons killings each other wasn't considered a betrayal. It was a way of life; they all felt the urge eventually. It was actually considered something that inspired pride; it showed that you were one of them.

Normally she and Donny went together. Stef went with them sometimes- what she lacked in magically power she made up for in hand to hand- but usually they'd leave her back home where she was safe. After all they could let the only non-magically person they liked get hurt.

Today she was alone. It was weird but she could handle it.

She wanted a challenge and she knew just where to get it. Walking quickly she came to a cavern which sure enough had an upper-level demon. He was young and while skilled was growing soft from all the time he spent above.

Smiling when he saw her he stood up and addressed her from across the cavern. "So Bella I guess the time has come." The smile she returned to him was as filled with sadness as his. Not much but enough.

"I'm afraid so. I want a challenge though so you better not hold back on me."

He continued to smile. She could see in his eyes that he was proud of her. That was the way it was with demons. Pride in the kill, very few regrets, and only a conscience among the most human of them. They lived for it, they didn't just want it they needed it, it kept them sane.

Witches simply thought that they did what they did because they enjoyed. They believed that they had a choice, as if you could simply choose not to. Whether half or full none of them ever have complete free will when it comes to killing.

So he didn't hate her for what she was going to do, all he did was smile. "You either." He just gave it his best and went out with a fight, never once holding back.

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**Sorry for not writing the fight scene but I just felt that it would be better to leave it where I did. Once again I won't be updating until next Saturday. **

**Happy Holiday's everyone!**


	4. The Conscience

**I know I said Saturday but I got a laptop and finished this chapter so I posted today. I also read chapter threee and realized that it was really bad. I'm sorry I'll admit I had to rush to get it out and didn't read it like I normally do. **

**Please read: Bella's emotions are all over the place in this chapter so it might be confusing because she's confused. You'll see why. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight so please don't sue.**

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**The Conscience **

When she finally returned to Forks Edward immediately pounced on her.

"Bella, where have you been?"

Had it been a different place with a different person she would have been touched at their concern and then told them it was none of their business. But as she was in Forks, Washington with Edward Cullen, a person that she didn't care for in the least, she merely said 'out' and went up to her room.

He followed her but she didn't care. All she did was look out the window.

It wasn't that she felt depressed for killing the demon, it was that she realized just how far she'd come over the years. When she felt the tiniest bit of regret, when she felt sadness for what she was going to do, she realized that it was a huge change from the times where she could kill without blinking an eye.

She hadn't quite determined yet if it was a bad thing, to feel when she killed. Many would say it wasn't that it showed that she was human, that it was normal to feel those things.

But she wasn't human, not completely. And even though she was neutral, neither good nor evil, she also knew that when it came to feelings she was more demon than anything.

So to feel something, to truly feel regret and sadness over her actions, she found that while some would be relieved to know that they weren't as cold as they used to be, all she felt was more sadness.

Edward lay beside her and took him into his arms. Where she once would have felt disgust now she hardly noticed.

All she did was close her eyes.

She wished that she could go back to the time when she felt absolutely nothing. The very last thing she did before falling asleep was wonder if that made her a bad person.

***

Charlie woke her up later that day. Or at least she assumed from the dark sky it was that day.

"Bells wake up. You fell asleep." He said. He then felt her forehead and cheeks. "You feel okay?"

She nodded and gave him a small smile. Seeming to accept that for the time being he went back down stairs.

Taking off her shoes and jacket she walked to the bathroom and turned the water on as hot as it could go. Waiting for it to warm she looked in the mirror.

Her hair was knotted and messy and she could she why Charlie would think something was wrong as her skin was paler than normal. After making sure the water was warm enough she stripped down and stepped in with a small hiss of pain.

For some odd reason scalding hot water helped her think. She'd been doing a lot of that lately. Whatever happened to attack first, ask questions later? She guessed that that must have vanished at the same time the regret appeared.

She hated it. She had been perfectly fine with being cold and merciless. There were only two people who could be blamed for her newly acquired conscience. Wyatt and Stef.

They were two of the four people that could make her feel bad. And the only two that wanted her to get a conscience. Donny and Henry J. didn't care all too much as they knew that she cared when it counted. Something that seems to have escaped Wyatt and Stef.

She doubted she'd be the last either. Next thing she knew Donny would actually care whether or not his bluntness hurts someone's feelings and Henry would be done with blackmailing people into doing things for him and hand out candy to strangers. Basically the world would end.

She came back from her worry-fest and washed all the soap off her and got out before she became anymore lightheaded than she already was. Going back to her room quickly she closed the door and sat on her bed, not caring about the fact that the water dripping from her hair was making it wet.

Maybe she didn't really have a conscience; maybe it was just something about that particular demon that made her feel those things. Well only one way to find out.

Grabbing some of her own clothes she put them on. Looking in the mirror in her room she had to say it was good to be back in black, good to be in her combat boots. Slipping an atheme up her sleeve and the silver ring Wyatt gave her onto her right ring finger she went down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Charlie asked looking at her. After taking in the fact she was in her own clothes and had a familiar expression on her face, he groaned. "Never mind, I know. Just be careful. Don't get yourself killed please?"

She nodded. "Don't worry Charlie I won't. Oh, and if Edward comes by could you tell him I'm at La Push and should be back soon. Thanks."

She was out the door before he had time to answer.

***

For the second time that day she was in the underworld. She vaguely thought that she should have waited to take that shower when she was attacked by a demon. She could see the same need in his eyes that she was sure were in her own earlier that day. He needed to kill.

Another more (would you believe it) noble demon would have let him kill them in the end. She never claimed to be noble.

Throwing him off her, she grasped her atheme as it fell into her hand. Dodging the energy ball that threw she hurled her own fire ball at back at him only to have him duck.

He tackled her, something she wasn't expecting, demons tended to be more power-oriented when they had gone a while without killing. In the process-as cliché as it was- he knocked the atheme out of her hand.

Bastard.

She tried to kick him but even with all the training she had he was still twice as big as her and easily pinned her down. She'd gotten out of tighter spots than this but it was still discouraging to be in the position that she was.

Quickly she thought about what she could do. Her hands were flat against the ground and pinned under him so fire balls were out.

Her invisibility would shock him but he'd still be able to feel her there so that was also out. Unfortunately she was in one of the parts of the underworld where you couldn't use magical means of transportation.

It was kind of like those areas where you couldn't get a cell connection. What did they call them? Oh, right Dead Zones. It was rather literal when used in reference to these areas as more people died here than anywhere else. But anyway flaming was out as well.

Her atheme was on the other side of the cavern. It was like a bad action movie. The ones that she, Donny, and Stef would always laugh at. Karma was a bitch.

But this all left her with one option that she wasn't even sure would work. A little while before she went on this mission her power had grown so that now she could go through things. But the thing was that her witch side had never been very powerful and because of this she tended to ignore her invisibility in favor of her demon powers.

This meant that she had never learned to control it.

So here was her dilemma. She could try and use her power to go through things (she forgets what it's really called, something that tends to annoy people) but if she couldn't control her first power she definitely wouldn't be able to control her new one.

See the problem.

Now normally she wouldn't even try but at the moment she had no other options. Closing her eyes and attempting to drown out the demon's taunting she concentrated. She pictured herself going through him, imagined that she was bodiless.

She put all her power into it. Kept imagining even when she felt the heat and heard the sizzling of an energy ball.

'I'm bodiless. It's as if I'm a ghost. I have no matter'

She could feel a burn starting to form where the energy ball was closest. Just as she was thinking that maybe she should tempt Fate and try to hit him again, the oddest thing happened. His weight disappeared and she found herself on top of him.

Opening her eyes she conjured a fire ball and hit him with it. An 'oof' escaped her lips as she landed on the ground. But that was the least of her worries at the moment.

Damn it! She still felt something.

He was about to kill her and yet she still felt something. Still couldn't help thinking that maybe he had a family, a home, friends. Damn conscience.

It was official, she was a terrible demon. Flipping over onto her back she groaned. What would this do to her reputation? She would go from one of the most feared demons to the most laughed at. From one of her mother's two best agents to the worst. That's if she's not kicked out.

Fate definitely hates her.

Fate's probably laughing at her right this minute. She's probably sitting somewhere with the Angel of Destiny and the Angel of Death (because you know they're buddies, they all ruin lives. Heck, let's add the Elders too) and laughing at her over a pint of beer.

That's what they're doing all right. Probably playing poker too.

She needed to get home. Now. Because at home she can focus on her hate of Edward to distract her. At home she can cook dinner, albeit late dinner, and then drown her sorrows in a bowl of ice cream. Home where she can have a hot bath (despite the fact that she took a shower an hour ago).

Picking up her atheme she went to go find a place she could flame from.

Back in the woods surrounding her house she walked in the direction of the lights and went in the back door. Edward was waiting in the living room.

"Bella there you are."

"Yup here I am. In the flesh. It's definitely me, unfortunately." She said the last part quieter though they heard her. Charlie gave her a worried look.

"Uh, Bells maybe I should cook tonight. If you're not up to it."

"No. No, I'm fine really, truly, completely, 100 percent, fine." She replied somewhat insulted. Charlie didn't trust her with a knife. He'd probably go all cop on her if he knew she had an atheme up her sleeve.

Whatever he said was drowned out by a knocking on the backdoor. Looking at Charlie and Edward, to her surprise as she tended to avoid looking at him if she could help it, in curiosity she went over to the door and opened it. Only to be met with a familiar dark-haired figure.

It's been awhile, and she admitted she was shocked but still after all these months without the slightest bit of contact what was the first thing he said to her. What's the very first thing he said to her?

"No offence Izzy, Charlie, but this is the biggest town of idiots I've ever had the displeasure of being in."

But then again that's Donny for you.

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**I'll most likely update a week from now so next Friday if not before. R+R please.**


	5. Awkward Silences

**Hi another early update. This chapter's kind of slow but I promise the story will move faster later on. Happy New Year's!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.****Awkward Silences**

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"Donny!" She cried hurling herself at him. It was a very uncharacteristic action but what can she say she was excited. After stumbling back two steps to avoid falling he returned the hug. Coming to the realization that he probably couldn't breathe she gave him a kiss on the cheek and released him.

Beaming at him, she took in his appearance. He hadn't changed at all. Not that she really expected him to in only two months but you can never know.

His brown hair was a little longer than it was the last time she saw him, falling into his eyes. What looked like ash was smeared on some parts of his olive skin as well as his black clothes. Still just as thin as ever and only half a foot taller than her.

She was tempted to give him another hug but figured she should hold off as she could see Edward was getting jealous and protective. She rolled her eyes. Could he be anymore immature? Well he could but it'd be hard.

Charlie meanwhile was greeting Donny. "Hey, it's been awhile. What the last time I saw you had to be, Bella's seventeenth birthday."

"Charlie. Nice to see you."

Bella stepped forward. "Where are my manners? Edward this is my best friend Donny Lafrenière, Donny this is my boyfriend Edward Cullen."

Edward stepped forward and stood slightly in front of her. He extended his hand. Donny stared at it for a minute before taking it.

"Pleasure to meet you." Edward said.

Donny gave him a once-over before giving a smile she recognized all too well. "I'd say the same, but then I'd be lying." He then stared down at Edward's hand in false wonderment. "Wow. Your hand's really cold. Cold as a dead body's in fact, or an undead body's, either one."

As Edward stared, Charlie and her were trying, and failing, to stifle their laughter. It was just too good. Not to mention Edward's face when Donny said that was priceless, she wished that she had a camera.

"So this is a surprise." Charlie said after getting a hold of himself.

"Yeah, I meant to call but I sort of… broke my cell phone." He said the last part in a hesitant and slightly fearful tone.

As he should have.

She hit him on the arm. "Donny! You broke your cell phone again? This has to be the sixth time. When are you going to learn to be more careful with it? I'll tell you when, never, because I'm not going to let you buy a new one just so you can break it two months from now."

Donny was looking at her with wide hazel eyes. He'd been expecting her to blow up as she was constantly telling him to take better care of it when on missions, or better yet don't bring it at all. But she'd found that no matter how many times she said it he never listened, always claiming that 'you can never know when you'll need it'.

"Well sorry Izzy. It's not like I meant to break it. But if it's a choice between the phone and safety, anyone with common sense will save themselves."

Charlie meanwhile was laughing quietly. Seeing Edward staring perplexed at the two bickering teens only strengthened his laughter. The hundred year old boy really didn't understand much when it came to friendship. He was most likely finding it hard to believe that not ten minutes ago Bella had introduced Donny as her best friend.

They didn't argue all too much, truthfully. And when they did it tended to be about the oddest things. Take their current argument for example. It was over a broken cell phone.

Actually, Donny's cell phone happened to be the most often argued about thing that there was among them. They argued when he bought a new one, they argue when he broke that new one, and all the times in between. Ever since the first time Donny broke a cell phone when they were twelve it had been that way.

So needless to say Charlie was used to it by now.

Deciding that he should probably break it up soon-he knew from experience that they could go on for at least half an hour-he spoke up.

"Okay, how about we have dinner."

They both turned to him. By the looks of things Bella had asked to see the broken parts and had been asking Donny just how he'd managed to break it the way he had when Charlie had interrupted. Seeing the parts, he had to say that he was privately asking the same thing. It looked as if it'd been run over and as he'd heard Donny say it'd been in his pocket the whole time he wondered how it got to be that way, the boy was hardly ten pounds heavier than Bella.

Agreeing to dinner, they decided to order pizza. Sitting in the living room until it got there, Bella started quizzing Donny on the least informative things. Those she'd ask him after Edward left and it was just them.

"So, how've you been?"

He glanced quickly at Edward who was sitting on her other side and listening intently, though he was trying to act like he wasn't, before answering. "Bored, annoyed, and plotting to kill all the bimbos that kept coming on to me."

She smiled. "Glad to hear it. I was worried that maybe being away by yourself would have changed you. I'm very thankful I was wrong."

He smiled back at her. It was a little game of theirs. Whenever questioning each other in front of people who weren't aware of what they really were, they'd always answer in a way that would cause that person to look at them like they were crazy.

Glancing at Edward, she was glad to say that it worked every time.

"So just why is this the biggest town of idiots you've ever had the displeasure of being in?" She asked. That comment confused her. Not because she didn't agree, but because she was wondering how Donny came to think that if he came straight here.

Looking once again at Edward he answered carefully. "Well, my…car broke down and so I had to walk here. And as I didn't know the way to your house I had to ask for directions which were less than helpful."

She knew what he was really saying.

What he was saying is that he was magically drained after his mission and so after shimmering here he decided to save his magic and so he walked. She loved half truths. It was a great feeling to know something that someone else didn't. Or at least she thought so.

All she said was, "that explains it."

The pizza came soon and Charlie went to go pay. Edward stared openly at Donny who said with a hint of annoyance. "Can I help you?"

"Who are you?" He said.

After exchanging bewildered looks with her, he said this time with confusion. "I'm Donny. Izzy's best friend since we were like two. Who else would I be?"

Good question. She turned to him and said. "Jeez Edward lighten up already. I think I'd know if Donny was planning to kill me. And even if he was I can take care of myself."

He looked taken aback. She silently cursed. Her cover had slipped for a moment but she couldn't help it, it was habit for her to defend her friends even if they didn't need it. She'd forgotten that Bella Swan didn't have enough backbone to stand up to anybody, least of all Edward.

Going to the kitchen to wait for Charlie they sat at the table. It was tense, and there was an awful lot of glaring going around. She was glaring at Edward who was glaring at Donny who was glaring at the table. She thanked the Source when Charlie finally came in.

After everyone (except Edward) took pizza, they once again descended into an awkward silence. Edward was once again creepily watching her eat while Charlie and Donny stared at him in disbelief. She then gave Edward a look that said 'do you mind'? He then stared at the table.

Charlie came to the rescue once again and said with more than a bit of ice. "Edward. Since you're not eating and it's past nine, why don't you go home?"

Edward looked as if he'd object then nodded and got up. She thought that he wanted her to walk him out but as she didn't feel like it she merely waved. Hurt flashed across his face before he finally left taking the awkwardness with him.

All three of them breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they heard his car pull out of the driveway. The real quizzing could finally begin. Charlie started with a typical parental question. "Does your mom know you're here?"

Donny nodded. "I told her when I saw her in France that I'd be coming here. She was with her latest boyfriend so I didn't say why I was coming but I think she understood."

"Good. Because no offense but I really didn't want to deal with your mother if you hadn't told her."

He smiled slightly. "I can see why. I know that mere can sometimes be a bit overbearing."

Bella laughed. She didn't mean to but she couldn't help it. "A bit? Donny face it your mom is just plain scary at times."

"Maybe to you and the general population but she never is to me." He said crossing his arms. Even so, he knew it as well as she did even if he wouldn't say it out loud.

"Anyway, just how did you get ash all over you?"

Seeing her best friend blush ever so slightly she laughed again. "I might have set a person's car on fire. They deserved it though; nearly ran me over with it."

Charlie got up and stretched. "I don't know about you but I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late, remember Bells you've got school tomorrow. Night."

"Night!" They chorused. After watching him go up the stairs Bella said. "Let's talk in my room."

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**R+R please. And once again, Happy New Year's.**


	6. Memories Pt 1

**This chapter isn't from Bella's point of view and part of the next won't be either. You may be asking why there are memories and I'm gonna say that the memories that are shown in some way affect some parts of the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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**Memories Part 1**

_**London, England, One week ago**_

_Parks were comforting. I'm not really sure why, but I'd always thought so. Leaning back on the bench and looking at the few stars visible I wondered what had drove me to come here._

_It wasn't exactly advised to go to a park alone in the middle of the night. You never know just who could be lurking around. But I wasn't completely defenseless; I've had training and always carry an atheme with me. Even so, I probably shouldn't stay much longer._

_I felt a presence and stiffened only to relax when I saw it was just my younger sister. Sitting down next to me with her hands in her lap she sat in silence. The two of us didn't look much alike only sharing the same gray-green eyes that everyone descended from our great-grandmother the witch had._

_That and our pale skin were the only similarities we shared._

"_Why aren't you in bed?" I asked raising my eyebrows._

_She shrugged her shoulders. "Not tired. Plus I noticed you were gone and figured you could use some company." Meeting my eyes she said. "Why aren't you?"_

"_Same. But at least I don't have school to worry about tomorrow, or today I guess."_

"_As it's nearly three a.m. it'd be today, though as you're well aware classes don't start until tomorrow, we only go up to the school today." She shivered and rubbed her arms._

"_Cold?" I said watching her. She nodded putting her hands once again in her lap. We lapsed into silence._

_I played with my necklace. Izzy and Donny had saved up for months to get it for my thirteenth birthday. It was a small silver bat with an even smaller onyx stone on each wing on a silver chain. I haven't taken it off once since getting it. I'd also never stopped thanking them even five years later._

"_Worried?" I jumped and turned to my sister who was regarding me calmly._

_Looking at her in confusion I asked. "What?"_

_Rolling her eyes at my inability to grasp what she was asking without explanation she said. "Are you worried about Bella and Donny?"_

_Clearing my throat I was ready to play dumb as I tended to in situations where I'd rather not answer before stopping. I used to be close to my sister before we both started drifting apart. We still cared about each other but were going in two different directions and didn't like the one the other was going in._

_So instead of denying it, I told her the truth. "I guess I am. I always worry about them but I've never gone so long without hearing from them and I can't help but think that maybe…" I broke off and glanced away._

_Nodding she looked down at her hands. "I don't truly understand. I'm not in the position that you are but…" Glancing up at me I was surprised to see tears in her eyes, "I do know what it's like to love someone and think that they're not talking to you, not because they can't, but because they don't care enough to." _

_She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "I don't know for sure if that's what you're feeling or if you even know yourself. But if you are all I want to say is that you don't have to. They love you and they're not afraid to show it. So when you're feeling worried or bad just remember that."_

_I gave her a hug, knowing who she was really talking about. Pulling back I wiped her tears and gave her a smile and some reassurance of my own. "Thanks. And while I hate the guy and think he's evil incarnate I can honestly say that even though it makes me ill to think about he loves you too. Even if he won't admit it."_

_She laughed and smiled a bit. " Who said I was talking about him. But thanks Stef." _

_At that moment the clouds that had been gathering since before I got here decided it was time to release all the water they held. Getting up from the bench we started running on the streets of London back towards Grandma Cindra's house._

_***_

_**San Francisco, California, Earlier Today**_

_Chris was fretting. He had a reason to, I guess. But then again he was like mom in the way that he was a complete worry wart. Only unlike mom who freaks out when worried, Chris was like Aunt Phoebe in that in times of worry he waters._

_He'd been going around the house for the past ten minutes watering and watering again. I'm pretty sure that the plants were all going to die from the amount of water. This is what first alerted me to the fact that he had something on his mind._

_Now normally I would have noticed before but I was a bit stressed at the moment. You see I too inherited something from Aunt Phoebe, I loved to write. I wrote the cuisine article at the Bay Mirror while being an author part time. I hope to be published someday and then switch to full time._

_But at the moment Chris was my main concern. "Chris what's wrong?"_

_He finally stopped torturing the poor plant he'd been watering for the past five minutes straight. Putting down the watering can he crossed his arms. "What makes you think something's wrong?"_

_Glancing up from my writing I gave him a look as if to say 'are you serious', he sat down on the landing of the stairs._

"_Stupid question. It's just that I haven't seen Henry all day."_

_Exchanging a look with Bianca who was sitting on the other side of the table, I said not understanding. "So you're worried that he might me hurt or something?"_

"_No. I know he can take care of himself and even if he couldn't he's got like half of the Underworld scared out of their minds of him."_

"_So?" I asked. He really wasn't making the slightest bit of sense. Chris got this way sometimes. During those times he seemed to think that everyone should automatically know something. It was quite annoying but we were used to it._

"_So, that means he's up to something." He huffed. Okay I'll admit that despite my earlier statement I should have guessed that. Chris was paranoid on his own but once you get Henry involved it goes to a whole new level._

_The relationship they had with each other was odd to say the least. They hated each other and yet they defended each other more than anyone else. It was weird because they were also the first ones to throw the other under the bus, so to speak. That didn't stop Chris from jumping to conclusions though, it encouraged him._

"_And what makes you think that?"_

"_Wyatt I know he's your best friend but think about it. Every time that Henry disappears something happens. Like that time when I was fifteen. Remember no one saw him all day and then he dragged us off in the middle of the night to go to a rave." _

_I did remember that time. I'd been seventeen and Henry thirteen and we'd snuck into a rave in an abandoned warehouse. It'd been fun but we were caught sneaking back into the house. And then Henry, charmer that he is, managed to get the two of us out of punishment while Chris took all the blame._

_Actually, now that I thought about it, Chris was right. Henry always dragged us into things that all ended with Chris taking the blame. I'd once thought that maybe it was his power that was doing it but that wasn't possible, he could only **see** memories, right?_

_Now normally I didn't scare very easily. When you fight demons and the forces of evil every other day you tend not to. But if I said that my cousin and best friend didn't scare me at times then I'd be lying. He did scare me, if only because of the fact that he's unpredictable._

"_I'm going out." You know what they say, speak of the devil and he shall appear._

_We all stared at him. I had a bad feeling about this and I'd learned to trust my feelings. So I asked him. "Where are you going?"_

"_Out. Don't worry I'm not going to do anything overly dangerous."_

"_Overly dangerous? Oddly enough that doesn't reassure me much." His definition of dangerous was different from most other people's._

"_It's only a little dangerous because I'm going to ask a red-headed British girl that despite being a pacifist, tends to get violent when I'm around, a question that she won't want to answer." _

"_Bree. You're going to ask Bree a question. What?' That bad feeling increased. This was dangerous. Not because of Bree, who was still a pacifist despite being more prone to violence when anywhere near Henry. But because of Stef._

_Stef and Henry hate each other plain and simple. So if Stef found out that Henry was even in the same country let alone the same room as her sister she would kill him._

"_None of your business. Don't wait up." He said orbing out before I could so much as open my mouth. I really hoped that this didn't turn out too bad._

_

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**R+R please. Oh, I forgot to mention that I've got a poll up about whether I should start another story or not.**


	7. Memories Pt 2

**I'm so so sorry for the wait. I told myself before posting the story that I'd update reguarly and what do I do. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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**Memories Part 2 **

_**Underworld, Five Days Ago**_

"_My Liege, we have brought the girl." I looked down at the demon kneeling before me. I wasn't yet ruler but it would only be a matter of time. Now was the perfect time to make sure that those on my side were truly loyal. It could cost me severely later if I was betrayed._

_The demon before me was loyal enough. He wouldn't be hard to eliminate if need be. I nodded slowly, "Send her in." _

_He left to get the girl. It was fun to have people obeying you without question. If I'd known just how fun I would have started this movement decades ago. Oh well, better late than never I suppose. The demon whose named I hadn't even bothered to learn came back in and bowed before me. The girl didn't but then I doubted she would._

_I glanced at her through expressionless eyes. "Leave." I ordered to the demons. They bowed briefly before going to places unknown. _

_Once we were alone I smiled. It wasn't welcoming but it was the nicest I could manage to do without looking completely fake. She seemed to appreciate the fact that I tried though and sat down on the top step, her body turned towards me._

"_So Renee, how's business going?"_

"_Very well. How's England?"_

"_Fine." Stef looked at me through narrowed eyes. "Look, let's just get to the point. Why did you call me here? Isn't that a bit risky?"_

"_Perhaps. But let's face it many demons aren't exactly smart or observant and the ones that are…well I have ways to keep them quiet." _

"_I'm sure you do." She said. "Even so, it's probably better if I'm not here long."_

_I nodded my approval. She had a good head on her shoulders, even if she was human. "You're probably right. I should take you back from here. Wouldn't want them to think I let you live."_

"_You're avoiding my question." Stef observed. "Why did you bring me here?" _

"_If you must know, I brought you here because I assumed that you'd want to know how things are going with your best friends." I answered. For once in what had to be awhile I was telling the truth. I'd never approved of her, she wasn't even magical, but I'd softened to her a bit after I realized that she wasn't going away. Apparently more than I thought seeing as I was telling her the truth._

"_You assumed right." She said._

"_Remember though that what I'm about to say to you is never to be repeated to anyone. If I find out- and I will find out-that you told anyone I won't hesitate to kill you."_

"_Naturally. But you don't have to worry, I won't tell."_

"_I'll have to trust you I suppose," We both knew that by trust I meant that I'd hold her to the fact that she doesn't want to be killed. "I'll tell you where they are and how they are, but that will be all." I went on, "Bella has been gone the longest as you know, she is safe with her father in Forks, Washington."_

"_Washington. I've always wanted to go there I hear it's beautiful."_

_She was once more serious after seeing the look I was giving her. "Donny is in France. He's safe as well, though more excited than Bella I have to say."_

"_Of course he is. He's always loved France. Izzy on the other hand has always found Forks boring no matter how much she loves Charlie." _

"_Yes." I said slowly, the girl was acting strange. Had I been a more caring person I might have asked her what was wrong but as it was I decided to ignore it. It was none of my concern._

"_Is that all?" Stef said getting up from the step._

"_I dare say it is." I replied._

_She nodded while dusting her clothes off. "I'd say it was a shame that I have to leave so soon, but it really isn't."_

_It was my turn to nod. I then gestured, flaming her away. There was one thing I knew, though I'd probably never like Stef at least she wasn't a complete liability. Plus she'd make great leverage if ever the time came when Bella and Donny weren't being cooperative._

_It's good to be evil._

_***_

_**Forks, Washington, Nearly two years ago**_

_Another night of watching baseball. It wasn't that I didn't love baseball; it was that I was watching it alone. Normally I don't mind being by myself, I prefer it actually. But having been to Bella's birthday the month before reminded me that I was truly alone._

_You'd think that I'd be used to it by now. Bella still visited occasionally but it was never long before she'd have somewhere to be or someone to meet or some mission that she'd disappear for months on. Truth be told, I missed my daughter._

_I'll freely admit to myself that I miss my Gothic, athame wielding, half demon, daughter._

_I didn't know as much about magic as I probably should but I knew that wishing she was here wouldn't bring her to me. So imagine my surprise when I open the door to my house and see the very daughter I was thinking about sitting in my living room._

"_Bella?"_

"_Hey Dad."_

"_What are you doing here?" And why didn't you tell me you were coming?_

_She came to stand in front of me hands in her pockets. She was avoiding my eye and seemed self-conscious, odd for her._

"_Charlie, I don't know how to say this. It's not that I don't want to do it because I do but I also don't want to impose. Renee's no help, she really doesn't seem to care about the fact that maybe you don't want to and that this will ruin your life. All she cares about is her kingdom. I mean I care about her kingdom to, I care about it more than just about anything but…"_

_I grabbed her gently and met her eyes. "Bella, what are you talking about? What is it that you think might ruin my life?" _

_She sighed and looked down at the ground. "Renee has a new mission for me," she said reluctantly, "one that involves me having to be in Forks for awhile."_

_She didn't have to say anymore I understood. "She wants you to stay here." It was more of a statement_ _than a question._

_Bella nodded. "If you'll let me, I can go stay somewhere else if you don't want me here."_

"_No…no, I do want you here."_

_Meeting my eyes for the first time she gave a rare smile. "Really?"_

"_Of course. I miss you Bells."_

_To my surprise and hers, Bella gave me a hug. "Thanks Charlie."_

_Stepping back she added. "I'll be coming in a few months. I have to prepare and maybe get a few more missions in."_

_She disappeared in a rush of flames leaving me standing in the middle of my living room wondering if that really happened or if I missed Bella so much that I imagined it. _

_*******_

_**Phoenix, Arizona, One year, three months ago**_

_I'd always loved Izzy's room. It was as familiar as my own. So knowing I wouldn't be seeing it again for awhile was a little unsettling even though this wouldn't be anywhere near the first time. Izzy, Stef, and I wouldn't be squished together on Izzy's bed watching movies and eating junk food this Saturday like we did so many times before._

_We'd had our first mission when we were thirteen. And had at least one mission every few months since then. Very rarely were they finished in a few weeks let alone days. But normally Izzy and I at least had each other and Stef knew exactly where we were and we all had an idea of when we'd get be finished. This time we were clueless._

"_Well I'm all set." Izzy said after zipping up her suitcase._

"_I can't believe you're leaving." _

_She made a face, "I know I can't believe it either. Who knows how long it could be until we see each other again." _

_I sighed. It could be weeks, it could even be years. I really hoped it wasn't the latter. I'd go insane and kill myself if it was. She probably would too. _

_Stop it Donny, I told myself, it won't be years Renee will let you see each other every once in a while. _

"_It won't be Izzy. Even if I have to face Renee's wrath we'll see each other soon. I promise." Renee or no Renee, I intended to keep my promise. She was my __meilleur ami; I wasn't going to let her bore herself to death._

"_I promise too. Best Friends forever."_

"_Best Friends forever." I echoed._

_We hugged and kissed and then she was waving goodbye as she left to go to the airport. I felt a bit empty, as if part of me was gone but we'd see each other again soon. I'd promised that we would and I always kept my promises. _

_Always._

_***_

**Forks, Washington, Present day**

Sitting cross-legged on her bed they sat in silence for a moment. It wasn't awkward like it had been before. With just the two of them there, it was comfortable and familiar. Neither one of them ever felt the need to fill every moment with talk. But even if they didn't feel the need to they knew they had to.

Donny was the one that first broke the silence. "Izzy what's wrong?"

She was tempted to say that nothing was bothering her like she would with anyone else but this was Donny. Her best friend since she was two, her soulmate even if there was nothing romantic about their relationship. You didn't have to be romantically involved with your soulmate contrary to popular belief.

So she told the truth. "I discovered, today actually, that I felt…guilty when I killed a demon. And I'm worried that I might…"

"Have a conscience." He finished.

She looked down at her hands. "I think so. I mean I'm not sure but I really think so."

"And you think that it might make you weak." Donny said, doing that thing he did when it was almost like he was reading her mind. Evidence of their long friendship, Bella could do the same with him.

"Of course it does, how can it not. If I can't even kill a random demon without feeling guilty about it how can I possibly carry out the missions that involve more than that. That involves killing innocents. I'd never cared before about killing them and now I know I will." She let her guard down. Letting out everything she'd been holding in since killing that demon earlier today.

She cried into Donny's shoulder as he stroked her hair. He was the only one that she ever truly cried in front of. Cried for real she should say, she'd pretended to cry in front of tons of people but Donny was the only who'd ever seen her break down for real.

"Shh, amoureux it's okay." He whispered. "That doesn't make you weak."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn't. If anything it makes you stronger."

She laughed mirthlessly through her tears. "How?"

"Because it'll make them sympathize with you. Think about it, they'll assume that because you feel guilt that you don't want to kill them."

She understood. "They'll underestimate me." Her tears had mostly subsided so it didn't come out too broken.

"They'll underestimate me." She repeated, laughing for real. Donny nodded smiling with her.

Donny was right. She now had another advantage. The conscience was annoying but given time and practice she could ignore it. Those pathetic innocents wouldn't know what hit them and by the time they figured it out they'd already be dead.

"Thanks Donny, you always know how to cheer me up."

He shrugged, "I'm your best friend it's my job to cheer you up."

"I think it's time that we talked now." Bella stated. It was why they came up after all.

And so they did just that. They told each other of what they had been doing in the past few months and agreed that now that they were together that the plan had to be moved ahead. The Cullen's would hear their offer and if they accepted Renee had several new allies. And if they didn't then the world would have seven less vampires.

It was their choice.

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_**meilleur ami**_: **Best Friend**

**_amoureux: _Sweetheart**

**I don't speak French so if I got something wrong please let me know so I can fix it. R+R please.**


	8. Plans and Dread

**Yes I'm a bitch. I said I wouldn't do it again and what do I do? You have permission to throw things at me. I think this is my longest chapter so far though. And the next one should be even longer.**

**Thank you HikaruOfArrow for correcting me on my French. I'll try and be more careful in the future.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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**Plans and Dread**

Unfortunately, Bella had forgotten to lock her window the night before so she woke up to Edward. Resisting the urge to groan in annoyance she pretended to still be asleep.

_Only a little longer,_ she thought, _I only have to keep this act up for a little longer. Then I can be me_ _again._

Then she can tell Edward what she really thinks of him, then she can throw him into a wall like she'd wanted to since she first read his profile before the mission. He'd be confused and hurt but she really couldn't care in the slightest. It'd be fun to see his reaction to knowing that he and his family had been watched for months so that they could gather information about them.

It was then that they both heard Donny saying purposefully loud. "I'll go see if she's up. Wouldn't want her to be late for school now would we."

"No, we wouldn't want that. You sure you'll be okay here by yourself all day." Charlie asked.

"Positive. You go to work; I'll get Izzy to school, and then will find some way to entertain myself."

"Alright, try not to get yourself arrested. If you do then I'll have to explain it to your mother, normally I wouldn't have too as you're an adult but we both know that she'll find some way to figure it out."

The door slammed shut.

Edward nudged her. "Bella, wake up. I have to go." She acted like she was barely awake and mumbled something. "I'll see you at school." More mumbling. He kissed her on the head, much to her silent disgust and left out the window.

Bella sat up and yelled, "He's gone."

"Rather clingy isn't he." Donny observed.

She rolled her eyes. "You have no idea. He's going to come and pick me up in like half an hour, if even that long." Getting up and walking to the closet she sighed. "I can't wait until I'm done with having to act like his slave. That's how he sees me you know, like his possession, like I belong to him." Looking back at him she finished, "I don't belong to him or anyone else for that matter. And I can't wait till I can let him know that."

"And I'll be behind you no matter what. I'll even help. There's something about him that irks me and I don't know why." Donny said, playing with the pillow on her bed.

"I totally know what you mean," turning back to the closet, she sighed, "I really don't want to go to school. Another thing I miss about home, there I'm home schooled."

"You always did hate when we had to go to school on a mission."

"So did you. Most of the time I had to literally drag you."

"Well school was never my favorite place to be. But now I don't have to worry about that."

Donny was only three months older than her, but because her birthday was after the school year begins while his was before, he was a grade ahead of her and had already graduated. "You do know that Renee could still make you go to school on a mission. She probably could until we're both in our twenties. So long as we could pass for high school students anyway."

She decided to wear her own clothes for once. Grabbing a shirt and pair of black jeans she quickly got dressed. After all the years they'd known each other, and all the hotel rooms they'd had to share while on assignment, they were long past the days were getting dressed in front of each other was awkward. She was facing away from him anyway.

She picked up her combat boots from the back of her closet and sat next to Donny to put them on. "So, what are you going to do while I'm at school?"

He put the pillow back. "I don't know. Maybe I'll get a new phone. I think my card's okay so I should still have the same number."

"You better have the same number. I really don't feel like memorizing a new one for the fifth time."

Ignoring her comment he said, "And after that I'll probably train for awhile. That is if you tell me where the entrance to the room is in this house."

"It's in the closet. It looks like the way to the attic." She finished tying her boots and stood up as she heard the doorbell. "Guess I better go, school awaits. If I don't make it back blame the secretary, I always thought she had an odd look about her. Don't burn the house down without me."

Waving at him, she went down the stairs ignoring Edward on the way to his car. Sliding in she thought about how things would go from here. She'd have to be subtle at first and then once they were all together and were focused on her she'd deliver the request.

Alice was the biggest issue. Emotions could be fooled and blocked, and demons had a natural block on their minds so only a strong telepath could read her thoughts. Fooling the future was a little trickier. Especially since her visions worked differently than a witch's, for a witch if they ever achieve the ability to look into the future at will it will take years, decades even.

Bella had been very careful about not making a decision on the plan of action. She'd taken a potion before coming here but she wasn't sure that it worked so she wasn't taking any chances. If they had the slightest bit of warning the entire mission would be a failure.

Edward unknown to her (she was really losing her edge) had been watching her instead of the road (way to cause an accident asshole) and had the nerve to actually open his mouth and speak. "Bella."

"What?" She snapped before cursing herself. All this time that she'd been on the mission without being able to do anything was really taking its toll on her. Putting the mask back on she made sure to sound as sweet and ditzy as she possibly could. "Yes Edward, what is it?"

"I don't mean to pry…" Then don't say anything. "But how well do you know that boy?" That counted as prying in her opinion.

Taking a moment to stare at him in offense (Donny was **never **referred to as 'that boy' in her presence) she forced herself to remain in character, though she couldn't resist letting a fair amount of sarcasm color her tone. "Well I've known him since I was two. We lived about five minutes away from each other on foot, went to the same school, have traveled the world together, and lived with each other for anywhere from a few weeks to an few months while traveling said world. Why do you ask?"

Looking momentarily stunned Edward took a few seconds to answer. "I can't read his mind."

Clearly he thought that was something of great worry as he once again took his eyes off the road and watched her expression. She blinked and when he didn't go on said, "Is that it?"

"Well yes, but…"

She interrupted, "Edward, like I said I've known Donny since I was two. I think I'd know if he was evil." He sort of was if you think about it, as was she, but Edward didn't need to know that for at least another day.

Her statement successfully closed the conversation and they continued the rest of the way in silence. Classes were boring but what else was new. She didn't mean to sound like the stereotypical teenager but, when would she ever need this? It's not like demons and witches cared whether or not you could do math.

Edward apparently saw her silence in classes to mean that he had offended her earlier, which he had, and thankfully did little more than shoot her worried glances. Bella, meanwhile, was continuing her earlier line of thought.

She guessed that she'd have to appeal to Carlisle. The others would most likely go along with him out of loyalty if nothing else. Carlisle wasn't a big fan of violence, so they'd probably have to leave the violent part out in the beginning and then slowly introduce it to them if they accepted. By then they'd be so far in that they wouldn't care as much.

Sounded good to her. Now all she'd have to do is run it by Donny to see what he thinks and then present it to the Cullen's. With any luck they'd be out of Forks by the end of the week.

Driving home with Edward she responded to his attempted small talk. He really was boring. It was no wonder that he never had a girlfriend. Though she still thought that being a 105-year-old virgin was just plain pathetic.

She unlocked the door and hung her jacket up. Edward who had followed her in without an invitation, how rude, kept his on. "Donny you there!" She shouted.

"Yeah, right here Izzy." He said from the kitchen.

She smirked for the first time that day. "I see you made yourself familiar with the refrigerator."

He returned the smirk. "Of course. Other than yesterday I haven't had decent food in a month. Got to make up for that lost time."

"Sure you do. There still anything in there?"

"I'm not a total pig Izzy. And there is a reason that I'm so thin."

"Ah ha! So you admit it."

"I'm not blind."

Edward rudely cleared his throat. For all his talk about being a gentlemen and manners and the like he really was lacking in all of those areas.

The awkward silences started again and continued until Edward left at nine. After she made sure that he was well on his way Bella explained her plan. Donny agreed with it and thought that they should start to make subtle hints to Edward tomorrow and then tell the Cullen's the day after.

"It's finally happening Donny. We'll be out of here soon. We'll have another mission, hopefully one that involves having to play an interesting, vegetarian, character." She said. The worst part of this mission, even worse than the Dull One and the clothing choices was the fact that Bella Swan ate meat.

Stef had been a vegetarian her whole life. Bella and Donny have only been vegetarians since they were four and had accidentally came upon a slaughter house. Cannibalistic demons they could handle, partaking in a messy vanquish they could handle, but seeing innocent cows slaughtered so someone can have a hamburger scarred them for life. So having to eat meat because Renee thought being a vegetarian was too identifiable a trait while in a town full of gossips was the worst thing about this mission.

Bree, Stef's then eleven year old sister, had once questioned them about how eating meat sickened them but wearing leather was perfectly fine. Donny had said that there were some parts of being a demon that you just couldn't get away from and wearing leather was one of them.

"Well if we're in the city or a town where people actually mind their own business we can be ourselves in that area at least." Donny said to her earlier statement.

"True. Source I hope that Renee will come to her senses after this."

They said goodnight and she locked her window and went to bed only to wake up a few hours later. She looked around in confusion trying to find what had wakened her. There was nothing that she could see, but she knew that that didn't mean nothing was there.

Grabbing her athame from under her pillow she crept cautiously across her room. She didn't sense anyone's presence but that didn't take away the feeling of dread that was growing inside her. Sparing on last glance around her room she went into the hallway.

Leaning lightly against Charlie's door she listened for a moment but could hear nothing but his deep, even breathing. Walking down the stairs quietly she made her way to the living room. She could just make out Donny's silhouette.

"Do you feel it too?" Bella whispered.

"Yeah," was his quiet reply.

She figured he would. He was just as good as she was at this sort of thing but it didn't make her feel any better. It didn't shake the feeling that was currently twisting inside of her, something bad was going to happen, she knew it.

Making her way to the couch she sat on the available space next to him. "What do you think it means?"

He moved over to give her more room. "I don't know. But I don't like it."

Nodding she set her athame on her lap keeping it in easy reach. They sat together listening, but the house remained silent. It was only when they saw the black sky grow lighter that they moved. Bella quickly went to her room and changed before joining a dressed Donny at the table.

The feeling had lessened a bit as the hours passed but it was still very noticeably there. Charlie was surprised to see them but didn't question it. He had a cup of coffee before leaving, giving Bella a kiss on the head and Donny a wave.

Edward knocked on the door and she broke the silence long enough to yell a 'come in'. From the look on his face she could tell that he wanted to ask her why she locked her window the night before but stayed quiet after seeing that Donny was there. Where else would he be at the moment?

The Dull One glanced between the two of them with an odd hopeful expression. Probably thinking that they'd had a fight and that was why they weren't speaking.

Anyone watching would have found it amusing how they all jumped when the phone rang. Donny who was closest to it answered. "Hello, Swan residence."

His forehead furrowed in confusion. "Maman? Did Renee give you this number…why…in English or French please, I only know basic Italian…what do you mean?"

Trying to ignore the dread that was increasing with every second that Donny spent on the phone she observed the rare sight of Edward confused. Apparently he didn't know French or much Italian.

Her attention was turned back to Donny as he made a choked noise. He had gone pale and had started shaking. "What, no you can't be serious. You're joking; please tell me that this is just some sick, twisted joke."

He made that same choked noise that she recognized as a sob. The dread was making her feel sicker and sicker. She felt like she would burst at any moment. "Donny?" She managed to say, fighting back the nausea.

Donny hung up the phone and swallowed. When he looked at her she saw that his eyes had filled with tears. "Izzy." He said in the odd tone you got when you were trying not to cry. "Something's happened…"

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**My first real cliffhanger, wow. Next chapter is one I've had planned out since before I started writing the story so I'm excited about that one. R+R please.**


	9. Unwelcome News

**Sorry for the two month long wait but between writer's block and real life I had trouble getting this chapter out. This was originally supposed to be longer but I thought that it'd be better if it ended where it did. Well on with the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.

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**Unwelcome News**

"_You're moving!" I was too shocked to even wince at how much I'd sounded like a banshee. My eyes were glued to the dark-haired girl across from me. She was far too calm about this for my liking. It's like she didn't even care about the fact that I felt like I would pass out from shock any moment now._

_The boy standing next to me asked for the both of us. "Why are you moving?" _

_He said it as if he were asking what time it was. I couldn't help but look at him in annoyance. Why was it that despite the fact that they both had tempers worse than mine they managed to be perfectly calm during a crisis while I was always the one to freak out and make a fool of myself? _

_As if reading my mind Donny leaned over and whispered, "It's because you're overdramatic." Resisting the urge to smack him, because I knew very well that he was right even if I wouldn't admit it, I transferred my look to Stef. _

_She'd better have a good reason._

_She crossed her arms and sat on her bed. "I'm moving because my parents decided that since both me and Bree would be spending most of the year at boarding school in England, they should at least be in the same country so that we don't have to fly across the Atlantic every term." _

_For anyone else that might have been a good enough reason. But this is me we're talking about. "That was never a problem before."_

_She, unfortunately, knew me well enough to know that I was just throwing anything I could think of out there. Sometimes I really wished that my best friends didn't know me so well. It'd be a hell of a lot easier to make them change their minds that way. Then I thought back to all those times that I'd escaped death because of the fact that they knew me so well and took back my earlier statement. _

"_Izzy! Are you even listening to me?"_

"_What?"_

_Giving me a look that was probably much like the one I'd given her earlier-only much scarier-Stef drawled, "I said that that was when it was just me who had to cross the Atlantic every term. Now that Bree is a first former she'd also have to. Which is why our parents are making us move." _

_I went to sit beside her. "I know, how about if they move to England, you stay here, and me and Donny will get you to school and back every term. Personally I like that idea."_

_Dropping the glare she sighed. "Izzy you know that won't work."_

"_But it could," seeing her shake her head I turned to Donny who was still standing across the room. Another thing I didn't get was why he opened his mouth at the worst times and yet whenever I wished nothing more than for him to say something he was Mister Silent. "Donny, help me!"_

_Sitting on Stef's other side he also gave a sigh. What was this National Sigh Day? "As much as I love you Izzy, and trust me that's a lot, I have to say that Stef is right. I don't want her to go anymore than you do but we really don't have a choice."_

_Now it was my turn to sigh, "I guess we don't."_

_A cloud of misery seemed to fill the room. Stef broke the silence, "but it's not like this is the last time we'll see each other. I mean you guys can visit me at school, just make sure that I'm alone this time. I'm pretty sure that my roommate didn't believe me when I said that you climbed in through the window, especially considering that it was clear as soon as you opened your mouths that the two of you were American."_

"_Of course we will. And we'll visit you on all your holidays too. So long as we're not doing anything for Renee." I said in an attempt to be lighthearted. I don't think it worked very well._

_I met Donny's eyes behind Stef and as one we both hugged her tightly. "We're going to miss you." Donny murmured. _

_Stef put her arms around us as much as she could in her current position. "I'm going to miss you guys too."_

_I hugged her tighter. We might have only known her for two years but I knew that both Donny and I would be as willing to lay our lives down for her as we were for each other. Though I hoped that we'd never have to. It was foolish and extremely unlikely but I couldn't help but hope._

"_Stef," she turned her head towards me slightly, "promise us that if you're ever in any trouble that you'll call one of us. Even if it might not seem important."_

_Donny stroked her hair. "Promise us Stef. God, I don't even know what we'd do if we ever lost you."_

"_Probably get on with your lives after a little while." She glared at us. "Or at least if you truly cared about me you would," she shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable, "how about this, I'll promise to call you if you promise that if anything ever happens to me that you'll get on with your lives. If you promise to remember that I wouldn't want you to mourn me forever."_

_Meeting each other's eyes again we said in unison, "we promise."_

_She smiled. "Then I promise you that I'll call you should I ever get into trouble."_

"_You better," Donny said, "we can't see a future without you in it."_

_Stef laughed and shook her head, "that's not true."_

_I pulled back a bit to glare at her, "it is true Stef. If anything ever happened to you we'd both be lost. You keep us grounded; you let us know when we're going too far. If anything happened to you the world wouldn't survive. After all we're more powerful now than we were before we met you."_

_It was the truth. If anything happened to Stef the world would start suffering from a population decrease. But nothing would happen to her. Nothing could happen to her. Right?_

_***_

"I-I, oh god Izzy."

"What happened? Donny," she said grabbing his hand, "what happened?"

She was aware of Edward sitting there with a dirty look staring at their hands but she couldn't bring herself to care. The same way she couldn't bring herself to care a few nights ago. He was over a hundred years old and yet he still hadn't learned that not everything revolved around him.

"Izzy." She was reminded of the situation at hand when she heard Donny say her name. "M-my mom got a call a little while ago." He seemed to have some trouble saying whatever it was that his mom had told him. "It was from Bree."

Bree called Aurelie? Why would she do that? She had her number in case of emergencies Bella knew, but she never thought that she'd actually use it. Everyone with the exception of Donny tried to avoid any interaction with Aurelie unless absolutely necessary. It had to be bad. She'd already guessed it was after seeing Donny's reaction and not to mention the dread that she felt in the pit of her stomach but Bree calling Aurelie confirmed it.

Donny went on, "she said that there had been an accident and that…" He took a deep breath and glanced at Edward then at her. She nodded her head, telling him to go on despite Edward's presence. "Stef is dead."

"What?" She said blankly.

"Stef is dead." He repeated.

Three words, three syllables, ten letters.

The words kept echoing around her head, 'Stef is dead'. It didn't seem possible, it couldn't be possible. Stef couldn't be dead she just couldn't. Stef, who was always the stiffest in their group but also the freest, unburdened with the pressure that having magic gives you. It was a mistake, it had to be. Aurelie heard wrong that's the only explanation.

She vaguely heard Edward asking if she was alright. She nearly scoffed, of course she wasn't alright, one of her best friends died, how could she-how could anyone-be alright. He didn't know that though. That Stef was her best friend, that she held any real significance to her. He'd never even heard of her before. But it-those petty thoughts that often plagued her, reminding her that no matter how unlike a normal teenager she may be she still was one-didn't matter.

All that mattered was the odd, empty feeling inside of her. All that mattered was Donny sitting across from her trying his hardest to choke the sobs down until Edward left, she felt tears prick her eyes and a sob build in her throat. All that mattered were those three words that kept repeating, taunting her, 'Stef is dead'.

She spoke, trying to make her words sound strong, still attempting to keep up the act in front of Edward. Her words however came out as a whisper, the pitch higher than it usually was. "Did she tell you how?"

He nodded meeting her eyes. The look told her everything she needed to know. A demon, one of her own kind, killed Stef. She didn't need anything more specific than that. "When's the funeral?"

"Friday. In that field that she used to take us to when we'd visit her." He didn't seem to want to say more than that in present company.

She didn't blame him. Edward's presence stood out the same way that it does when he sparkled in the sunlight. It was even more unwelcome now than ever. She had to get rid of him. The thought wasn't the usual hopeful wishing that she did just about every day, it was a fact. He couldn't be here, not now.

She took a deep breath her breathing growing more labored by the second. "Edward, leave."

Confusion mixed with worry colored his voice as he asked, "What?"

Taking another deep breath she said it again. "Edward, leave." Seeing him still sitting there she closed her eyes. "Go to school, go home, I don't really care just get out." As she knew that he could hear her she figured that he just wasn't taking her seriously as he was still sitting there. "Edward, if you love me at all you will get out of my house." She said this with more force making sure that he knew that she wasn't kidding.

"Bella…" He started in a tone full of hurt.

She however had had enough. On a normal day she might have resorted to force to get him out but right now she couldn't be bothered. So all she did was go into the hall, get her jacket, grab Donny's hand and walk to the door. By the time that Edward finally got it through his head that she was leaving they were already gone.

***

She'd brought them to the police station. The first time she'd been there when she was ten she'd thought that it looked like the police station in Scream which she and Donny had just seen the week before. Now she still thought that but unlike before when she'd get excited about anything that resembled her favorite movie in any way she really didn't give a damn.

Donny had finally gotten himself under control and followed her inside. He didn't ask why they were there and she guessed that it was a mixture of three things that kept him from asking. One was that he most likely already knew, it didn't take a genius to figure it out. The second was that he knew her well enough that he didn't even have to, this brought about the first one. And the last was that like her, he felt too empty to care.

They walked with purpose towards where she knew Charlie's office to be. Most recognized her and some of the older cops even recognized Donny from when he'd visited her in Forks, all looked at them curiously. None stopped them.

She went in without knocking startling Charlie. "Bells aren't you supposed to be in…what's wrong?" He looked at the two of them. They were paler than normal and shaking. A silent tear made its way down Bella's face. It was this more than anything that made him certain that something was wrong. Bella was never one to cry openly. At least for real.

"D-dad." She said quietly. More tears were starting to fall, smudging her eyeliner. Well I always did have to be dramatic, she thought, why would now be any different. Pushing that thought away quickly she wiped her eyes. It didn't do anything but make the tears come more furiously than before. She sank into the nearest chair and put her head in her hands.

Donny sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. He too had tears in his eyes. Charlie felt his heart twist at the sight. He waited silently for someone to say something. It was uncomfortable; to sit here and watch his daughter and the kid he'd known for years break down right in front of him and not have the slightest clue what to do. It made him feel powerless.

At that moment he did the only thing he could, he gave them both a tissue. Donny nodded his silent thanks and used his tissue to wipe away Bella's tears; she needed it more than he did.

Charlie sat quietly and waited for them to speak. He might be small town but he was still a cop and in his line of work he'd found that it was better to let someone in obvious grief speak when they were ready. If you tried to make them most of the time all they did was close up and that rarely helped anyone.

Sure enough before long Donny had started explaining to him what had happened to bring them there. He was, to say the least, horrified. Of course he always knew that there was a possibility of Stef dying, if only for her connection to Renee through Bella and Donny but it still shocked him to the core.

After all the girl was just eighteen, the same age as Bella, and if she could die than so could his daughter. The very thought of Bella dying filled him with so many emotions that he couldn't even describe them all, and that was just the thought, for Stef's parents it was the merciless reality. He couldn't even imagine what they must be feeling.

He looked at them again. They were both visibly unraveling at the seams and didn't even appear to be aware of it. There was no doubt in his mind that they needed to leave so that they could deal with this the way that it should be dealt with. And in his opinion the only way that it should be dealt with is by letting their emotions out. And as he also knew that they'd rather die than be caught showing weakness in public that led him to the obvious conclusion that they needed to leave.

"How about you two go home. I'll try and get off early and we can all just do what we need to tonight."

Bella finally seemed to realize what state she was in and took the tissue from Donny. She wiped her eyes and nodded, getting up from her chair. She went over to Charlie and gave him a hug. "Thanks Dad, I knew you'd understand," she whispered before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

When she glanced back at him from the doorway she couldn't help but think that he suddenly looked ten years older.

That night as she lay in bed with Donny's comforting arm around her, she did something for the first time since she was fifteen, she cried herself to sleep.

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**I'll try to get the next one out faster but I can't promise anything. If you have any questions about the story, characters, ect. then please let me know either through a review or PM. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Numbness is my new best friend

**Geez it's been six months. You all must hate me. I wouldn't blame you if you did because well it's been six months. Six. Half a year. I'm a terrible person. So I could get into why exactly it took me six months to get this chapter out but I doubt you want to hear so I won't.**

**This chapter has been kicking my butt. It really has. Well enough of me on to the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

**P.S. I ask that you read my author's note at the bottom since I have a question to ask and some info to give.**

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**Numbness is my new best friend**

It was still dark when she woke. Her face felt sticky from the tears she'd shed the night before and she knew that her eyeliner must be smudged beyond all belief, over all she most likely looked terrible. Yet she stayed in bed staring at where she knew the ceiling to be in the darkness. The spot beside her was cold; Donny must have gotten up awhile ago then, if he'd even gone to sleep to begin with. She wouldn't be surprised to find that he'd just stared at the ceiling all night, rather like she was now.

By the time she finally dragged herself out of bed the sun was starting to rise in the sky. After a quick shower, more out of necessity than anything else, she got dressed and went down to the kitchen. Just as she'd expected Donny was sitting there staring blankly into a cup of coffee. Any other time she might have felt surprise to see Charlie sitting there as well instead of being at work but now she wasn't really capable of feeling much of anything.

She joined them at the table. While Donny never once lifted his head Charlie pushed a cup of coffee towards her, phone in hand. Seeing her questioning glance he explained, "I'm calling the school to tell them you won't be in for the rest of the week. Don't worry I'm just going to say there was a death in the family nothing more." She tried to smile but all she managed was a faint twitching of her lips. Charlie seemed to understand, and gave her hand a quick pat.

As he started talking to who she assumed was the secretary she turned her attention to Donny. He still hadn't looked away from the cup. She knew that he must be feeling as miserable as she was yet, unlike her, he managed to look semi-normal.

"How are you?" She asked quietly. He gave her a look that she took to mean 'as good as can be expected'. "Me too."

Charlie got off the phone and gave a tired sigh. "Well that's taken care of. I called the airport earlier, I figured that you two would want some time to gather your thoughts before we get there which you can't really do if we go your way, but it's impossible to get a flight to England on such short notice."

"Don't worry Dad. I'll get us one." Bella said just as quietly as she had before. Talking any louder was just too much effort. "Donny can I borrow your phone?"

***

Bella watched the rain as she waited for the phone to be picked up. It dawned on her out of no where that the last person she called had been Stef. Pushing away the pain that the memory caused her she focused on the phone. She vaguely wondered how long it would take Donny to break this one. Probably not long. She found that she really didn't care.

"State your name and business."

She didn't recognize the person who answered and he obviously didn't recognize the number. Must be new. She hoped he wouldn't be too difficult; she really wasn't in the mood to argue with someone.

"Isabella Stevenson, put Todd on the phone." If you're smart you'll at least recognize the name.

"I'm going to need some confirmation that you are who you say you are."

Of course. Bella should have figured that he'd ask that. "I understand."

A second later there was a beep and she opened the questions that the newbie had texted her. Glancing at them she almost scoffed, almost, actually scoffing would take too much effort. The questions were almost frighteningly simple to find out if you knew where to look for them. When feeling had returned to her body she'd have to talk to Todd about that.

Quietly and quickly she filled them out.

Name: Isabella Marie Stevenson

Location: Forks, Washington

Specialization: Espionage and assassination

ID Code: 048947559489

Response to the liege asking for your obedience: Screw you

She texted the answers back to the newbie and waited for him to come back on. Knowing that he'd have to check the database she occupied herself by looking at the rain once more. I wonder if Stef had looked at the rain before she died, Bella thought, she'd always loved the rain.

"Ok everything checked out. What is it you called us for?"

Jolting back to the present from her world of ever growing misery she replied as calmly as she could. Minion or not he was a newbie and she wasn't going to let a newbie know that she'd been anything less than attentive. "I need three plane tickets to England for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow. That's pretty short notice."

"Why do you think I called you? Look I need to be there by Friday and I'd like some time to prepare beforehand so I don't care how you do it but I need three tickets. Unless of course you want your boss to hear that you refused your leader's only daughter a request that she made."

Ok so threatening him was a little low, he'd only been stating a fact after all, but she wasn't in the mood to deal with a newbie who didn't seem to have learned yet that you don't question those who outrank you. The sooner he learned that the better, not everyone was as even-tempered as she was.

"Sorry my princess, I'll send someone over with them soon."

"Good. I would have expected no less." And with that she hung up. They would most likely take at least ten minutes to get there. She could go inside and wait instead of standing out here in the rain. Yet she couldn't bring herself to move.

There was something mesmerizing about the rain. Bella couldn't explain it but it seemed as though it was speaking to her. It was probably just because the rain made her think of Stef. Her best friend would never see the rain again. Never run around in it, never drag her and Donny into running around in it with her, and never call each other while huddled in bed with a cold. Never again.

For what had to be the hundredth time that week she felt the urge to cry. But she wouldn't let herself. She was done crying. Crying wouldn't rewind time, it wouldn't bring Stef back. All it would do was make her feel more terrible than she already did.

Her funeral was later that week. Stef's family would be there, they could cry, they could lose control and scream and sob until they passed out. They deserved to. But she didn't, she didn't have any right to, best friend or not she didn't share any blood with Stef and she still had a mission to complete. She couldn't lose her façade even for one second. If she did she might never get it back.

***

The demon eventually came twenty minutes later. Unlike the demon earlier she wasn't a newbie and she greeted Bella like an old friend.

"Bella! It's been awhile since I've seen you. How are you?"

She smiled faintly, "Hey Lorinda. I've been okay." Lorinda gave her a hug that nearly suffocated her.

Lorinda was much friendlier than most demons were. Probably due to the fact that she had been mortal before being turned into a demon two centuries ago. She was old enough that most demons had stopped mocking her about that fact decades ago. Instead they mocked her for being cheerful and optimistic. Bella couldn't really blame them for that, much as she liked Lorinda the woman was just too bright to be a demon. Not that she'd ever tell her that. Lorinda could start crying for all she knew.

"So I have the tickets that you asked for. Didn't ask why you needed them, not that you'd actually tell anyone especially a newbie."

Another reason she liked Lorinda, she knew when to stay out of other people's business. Unlike some people I know, she thought, a certain hundred year old virgin was coming to mind.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," she said taking the tickets. She felt the need to continue the conversation, "So who is the newbie anyway?"

Lorinda paused, a look of concentration on her delicate features. "Um…I think his name was Gary, or maybe it was Terrance. I don't really remember. He was working as Renee's assistant before he got demoted."

"What'd he do?"

"He made her tea wrong. Put milk instead of sugar in it."

That made sense. Renee was way too picky when it came to her tea. She was almost as bad as… no not thinking about her right now. She knew that she'd gone too long without thinking about Stef. She sighed; Stef always did say that she would haunt her and Donny if she died before them. Looked like she was keeping her promise.

"Well thanks again Lorinda. I'll put in a good word for you with my mom."

Lorinda gave her another suffocating hug before beaming at her. "Thanks Bella. It was nice to see you again."

Bella barely got to say that it was nice to see her again too before Lorinda shimmered away. Turning her back on the rain, Bella glanced down at the tickets. She'd better go tell Donny and Charlie to get ready, the flight left in a couple of hours. It was far too soon. By tomorrow they'd be in England and then the day after that they'd have to lay their friend to rest.

***

"We have to go shopping. I have nothing to wear to a funeral."

Donny glanced up at her from his place in the chair across the room. "Do we? I guess we should do that soon." Getting up he attempted a smile. It came out half forced. "After all we won't have time tomorrow considering it will take you all morning to get ready."

Not being able to deny it she stuck her tongue out at him. They both laughed but it died off quickly. They were left in a somber silence, avoiding each other's eyes. For the first time in their long friendship the silence between them was awkward.

Bella looked out the window at the gray English sky. The plane ride had been long and incredibly boring yet once they'd landed she'd found herself wishing that they were still on the plane. At least on the plane she had more time. Once they were in England there was no escaping.

They hadn't really had time to pack before having to leave for the airport. It was over an hour's drive and the plane left in only a few hours. They'd all pretty much just thrown the first thing's they could find in their suitcases. With the exception of Donny who had never unpacked in the first place. Apparently she had forgotten to pack funeral clothes in her hurry.

It didn't surprise her really. She'd been in such a hurry that it wasn't until she'd literally knocked into Edward on her way out the door that she even remembered him. He had, naturally, been confused to see her with a suitcase in her hand and had grown even more confused upon seeing Charlie packing the car.

Being the self-centered twit that she loathed and despised, he had assumed that it had something to do with him. She'd been knocked out of her numbness long enough to make a sarcastic comment in her head about how he didn't even think to, I don't know, maybe _ask_ her what was going on before assuming that it was about him. Source she hated him.

The numbness, which seemed to be trying to replace Stef as her second best friend, crept back in quickly enough and so she was able to keep her composure and politely tell him that she would be going to England for a few days to go to a friend of the family's funeral. He had, for one second, seemed to be about to tell her not to go but, fortunately for him, he'd kept it to himself and nodded before telling her to keep safe.

Coming from anyone else, she might have felt her heart swell a bit at that display of genuine caring. But of course it was Edward so instead she just hated him even more than she already did at that point.

Still keeping up the act she'd told him as genuinely as she could that she would try to keep safe and that she'd see him in a few days. He'd kissed her before driving way to fast away in his Volvo, way to mind the police officer standing right there you asshole.

That was yesterday. They'd landed in London an hour ago and had checked into a hotel not far from Stef's parent's house. Around noon tomorrow they'd be going to the church a five minute's drive from there for her funeral before going to a field ten minutes away. Stef used to take them to that field when they were younger and would have time off to visit her. She'd be buried there.

Stef's mother's family had been old money before losing their fortune in the sixties and that field had been their own personal cemetery. Their family and friends were still buried there if they wanted to be and Stef had always loved to visit her Aunt's and Uncle's and cousin's that she'd never met and imagine what they were like. She would like to be buried among them.

Sighing she looked back at Donny who was still staring at the floor. Taking his hand she said, "Let's go let Charlie know where we're going."

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**Ok so in the six months I have been gone I've thought about this story and the direction it's going from here on out. After this there will probably be only one more chapter and maybe an epilouge, that's if I don't combine the two.**

**Now I mentioned that I had a question. The question is: Would you possibly want a sequel or prequel to this story? I'll put a poll up on my profile soon so you can vote on it if you want to but I'd really appreciate your imput. I have a few ideas for a sequel or prequel if you all want one but if you don't I'll understand so here's my goodbye and remember if you have any questions or concerns feel free to PM me.**


	11. A Tiring Event

**I'm back! So I figured that in light of the fact that last chapter was quite short that I would make this one super long. At last count it was over four hundred words and is offically the longest thing I've ever written. Cool. **

**So after this chapter there will more than likely be only one chapter and then it's on to the sequel which I will keep you posted on. Well enough of my rambling.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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A Tiring Event

She was stalling.

Bella knew that she shouldn't be but she couldn't really help it. They were supposed to be out the door ten minutes ago but had had to wait when the sudden urge had come over her to fix her hair. Then after that was done she'd realized that Donny's hair was somewhat out of place so she fixed his. Noticing that Charlie had a lock sticking up she'd moved on to him next. Currently she was redoing what little makeup she had on.

Charlie had given her an exasperated, yet also knowing, look before she told him and Donny to wait for her in the lobby. Was she that transparent? If so then when she finished the mission she should brush up on her espionage skills. Can't have the enemy be on to her from the start now could she.

Smoothing her eyeliner she looked at herself in the mirror. Did she really look like that? Were her eyes really that red and puffy? Did she really look that ill? Was her face really that fat? The questions could go on. Noticing a hair out of place she once again redid her plait.

She glanced at the mirror again and almost did a double take upon seeing Donny leaning against the door in the reflection. Apparently he didn't have to work on his espionage skills. Bella turned to look at him. "My, um, makeup was messed up. I thought you were waiting with Charlie in the lobby."

He pushed off the door and walked closer to her before saying softly, "Izzy, you're stalling."

"No I'm not I was just-"she started to say before remembering that with Donny it was no use, "Yeah maybe. Was I that obvious?"

Donny closed her makeup case before taking her hand and sitting her down on the bed, him kneeling in front of her. He took her other hand and held them both between his. She avoided his gaze instead looking down at their hands. Stroking her hand he said just as softly as before, "Charlie's waiting for us downstairs. He wanted to know what was going on so I told him I'd go up and check on you."

It was odd hearing him speak so soft. Normally he was somewhat loud and when he wasn't his voice tended to be fairly deadpan. It was only soft when he was trying to keep emotion out of it. Even when comforting her he never spoke this softly.

She wished that he would talk like he normally did, that he didn't try and turn off his emotions at times like these. Seems like he inherited more from his mother than just her looks, she thought dryly. "You didn't have to. I would have been down soon."

She could sense him raising an eyebrow. "Would you have?" The question was rhetorical.

Why did he have to know her so well? She really didn't know why she even tried to lie to him anymore. He very rarely believed her. "No." She was starting to feel her composure crack. Trying to keep it from leaving her completely she started rambling. "I wouldn't have, I'd have let you both stay there for hours and by then Stef would already be in the ground and then I'd feel terrible because she was your best friend too, and then I'd cry again because I made you feel that way and you'd hate me for it forever and I'd be okay with that because I would too and-"

Donny removed one of his hands from hers and put it over her mouth. "Izzy slow down." Once confirming that she wouldn't start again he removed his hand. "Now what exactly makes you think that I could ever hate you?"

"Because I'd make you miss Stef's funeral. And because I've forced you to put up with my crying and sniveling and we haven't spent hardly any real time together since you got here. Why wouldn't you hate me for that?"

"Izzy." Suddenly he was hugging her tight. She put her arms around him hesitantly, unsure of what his next move would be. Whatever she was expecting it definitely wasn't for him to say, "Izzy you idiot."

Despite her confusion and the numbness that refused to let her go completely she couldn't help but feel mildly offended. First he hugs her out of no where then he calls her an idiot? If she didn't know Donny as well as he knew her she might have been a bit more than mildly offended. However she did know Donny that well and so instead berated herself for being so surprised.

Grieving or not he was still Donny and he wasn't exactly known for his sympathy. Even if the person in need of it happened to be his best friend who was also grieving. Wait, on second thought, maybe she should be a bit more offended.

Oh, he was talking again, "Izzy we've known each other for how long?"

"What does that-"

"How long?"

"Sixteen years."

She could feel him nod approvingly. So he decided to go the condescending route this time. He tended to go that route with her; he once claimed that that was because it was the only thing that got through her thick head. She had promptly smacked him.

"Now in sixteen years don't you think that if I hated you I'd have told you a long time ago?"

"Well yes but-"

"Exactly so I will repeat my earlier question and ask you, what makes you think that I could ever hate you?"

"You're being very rude you know."

"I know."

"I'm grieving; don't you think that you should be a bit nicer to me?"

"I'm grieving too. That doesn't mean I can't knock some sense into you."

She glared at him. Or more like she glared at his shoulder. Now he was just being a smartass. "No it doesn't, but it also doesn't mean you couldn't be a bit gentler about it."

He oddly had nothing to say to that. She dropped the glare, "What?"

He shook his head. Bella could swear that she could feel him smiling. Why was he smiling? What could he possibly be smiling about? Didn't he see her cloud of misery? Ok maybe that last bit was a little overdramatic but it sure felt like a cloud of misery.

"Don't you shake your head at me; I know that you know something you're not telling me. Come on spill, it's not like you to beat around the bush."

She felt him sigh, "Ok Izzy I'll tell you."

A few seconds passed by. "You gonna get around to doing that any time soon?"

"Fine. Well it's just that you got a bit defensive there. For a second you sounded like your old self. Or should I say, the way you sounded three days ago."

Realization dawned on her. "Wait so you were trying to get me to leave my cloud of misery?"

Just like she apparently was starting to sound better, he was completely himself again when he repeated back at her, "Cloud of misery?" He shook his head again, this time in exasperation. "I always knew you were dramatic."

"Look who's talking. So why were you trying to get me all rallied up?"

"Because Izzy, Stef wouldn't have wanted you to be completely absorbed in a, as you so adequately put it, 'cloud of misery'. She would have wanted you to be yourself."

"I know Donny. And I know it's not easy for you to act like its all okay. But in a little while we're going to be burying our friend, our best friend, and I don't really know how I'm supposed to act like its okay when it isn't."

"You just have to try Izzy."

She pulled back from the hug to give him a look. "Excellent advice there genius. I now know exactly what to do."

He gave her a slight smile. "Good considering I was being _incredibly _specific. Only an idiot could have missed it."

She hit him in the arm before sighing, "We have to go now don't we?" He nodded. "Well then I suppose we should do that, unless we want to miss the funeral. Who knows maybe we'll still have time to see her before they close the coffin."

"Do you really want to though? See her lying in her coffin that is."

Bella stared at the wall in front of her. After a few moments she said quietly, "I have to know how it happened Donny. There's no guarantee that it was something physical that killed her but I have to know. Don't you Donny? Don't you feel like you just have to know? Like you'll never rest if you don't?"

Donny considered her words before saying, "Yes Izzy I do. I do have to know." He got up from the floor and offered her his hand. "So what do you say we find out? I don't know about you but I think it's time that we finally got to burying our best friend."

"Yes I dare say that it is," she said before taking the hand and walking with him to the door.

This was it. She couldn't prolong it any more. It was time to go and face reality, time to finally accept that Stef was truly gone. That she really wouldn't be coming back. Maybe then the numbness would start to fade; maybe she would begin to heal. Even if it wasn't right away she knew that eventually she would move on. She might as well start the process. Stef would never have forgiven her if she didn't.

***

The room that Stef's body was being viewed in was small. Or maybe that was just because of all the people that there were. More people appeared to have come than she had thought. Bella couldn't place them all, whether because she didn't know them or because it was too cramped to tell. She figured that she'd be able to when they all sat down for the funeral.

They all signed a book on a pedestal when they arrived. She'd heard about how some families liked to keep it so that they would know everyone who was there. Personally she'd never seen the appeal. It just seemed downright depressing to her. Maybe if there ever came a day when she had to lay a family member to rest she'd understand. Maybe she wouldn't.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder only to relax when she realized it was Charlie. "Bella," he whispered, "are you sure that you want to see her. No one would blame you if you didn't."

His concern touched her. Even so she repeated her earlier words to Donny, "I need to know."

Charlie nodded and squeezed her shoulder before leading the way to Stef's coffin. She grabbed Donny's hand tightly. Their eyes met for a moment, she gave him a faint smile which he returned before whispering, "You can do it."

She nodded, "You can too."

The coffin was a simple white one with silver handles. Lying on the soft white cloth was Stef. Bella's first thought was that she looked peaceful, her eyes were closed and her face smooth of lines.

Bella had once heard from one of her targets that a person's true beauty came out only in death. At the time she had given the target a skeptical glance before throwing a fireball at them. Now she started to see what the target had meant.

It had been months since she'd last seen Stef. Her hair had grown longer during that time and free of her usual ponytail it was strewn across the pillow down almost to her waist, Bella noticed that the blue highlights that had never once come out since they were first put in had finally gone. Stef's pale hands rested on a black rose on her stomach, the dark color contrasting with the green dress she was in.

The dress's collar wasn't very high and therefore did nothing to hide the dark, hand-shaped bruises on her neck. Bella felt angry looking at them. She'd find out who it was that had caused them and when she did they would wish that they had never even looked at Stef.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Donny leaning forward to lightly touch the marks. She knew then without asking that he felt the same as her.

Bella had been hoping that it had been a quick and painless death. Just goes to show why she never hoped for anything. It never helped; it only seemed to make things worse.

"Who would do such a thing to her? What did she do to deserve this?" Charlie was staring at Stef sadly. "I see this stuff all the time but it still gets me. Even more when it's someone I know."

Bella grasped his hand. In a way it seemed to help him more than any words could.

***

Ten minutes later they had all taken their seats for the actual funeral. They were seated in the second row behind Stef's family.

She looked around her at all the people. Now that they were out of the small room she was able to see that she knew more people there than she had originally thought. There was Stef's Aunt at the end of the first row and her first cousin's sitting on either side of their mother.

There was the same roommate from boarding school that they'd freaked out when climbing through the window. She assumed that the others people around Stef's roommate were other friends from school though she'd never met any of them. Except the boy sitting two seats down from her looking incredibly depressed who she knew to be Stef's on-off boyfriend. Bella couldn't remember his name at the moment but she was pretty sure it started with an M. Odd that she couldn't considering how much Stef used to talk about him.

More distant relatives, friends, and coworkers filled up the other seats. She knew some of them from sight only but didn't think she'd ever met any of them. To her surprise, more because it'd been a while than because she didn't think they'd be there, she noticed the Halliwell's seated in the back. Not all of them were there, only the ones that had known Stef the most. If she got the chance she's have to try and talk to them later.

Donny nudged her. She looked back to the front as the funeral started. It was pretty in a depressing sort of way, the church helped that along. Speaking of churches she was still wondering why Stef's funeral was being held in a church when Stef wasn't even a part of the religion. Oh well she supposed that it didn't really matter.

What did matter was the fact that she'd soon have to give a eulogy. Bella had never really been good at public speaking for some reason. It wasn't that it scared her; it was just that she didn't like it. Of course _some people,_ who shall not be named, didn't let this stop them from teasing her for being able to take on demons and yet not be able to give a speech. They had both been told less than politely to shut up.

So as she watched Bree finish her heartfelt and teary speech she was not looking forward to having to get up in approximately one second. Even so she still did. Walking to the podium she mentally willed herself to appear perfectly cool and calm, and more than anything to not get teary.

Now at the podium she took a deep breath and looked out at the sea of faces all of whom were either crying or looking close to it. Well might as well get it over with, she thought. "Hi. Um, not all of you know me but I'm Bella Stevenson and Stef was one of my best friends," maybe she should have paid more attention to the other eulogies, then she'd at least have a clue as to whether she was doing it right or not. Well it's too late now.

"So what to say about Stef. Well, um, s-she would have- would have made a great pediatrician like she wanted to if she was given the chance. She really liked kids that's for sure. Me, I've never really seen the appeal but who knows maybe now I'll decide to have a kid and will see what she meant." Seeing Charlie's raised eyebrows she amended, "I mean not _now_, obviously, but sometime in the future and um."

What was she doing? She was supposed to be giving a eulogy not stuttering about having kids possibly. Why on Earth had she not written this down ahead of time? Ok Bella you can do this, you can do this, you _have_ to do this. It is your duty as the best friend to do this. You can do it. Donny said you could and he would never seriously lie to you. And now you're thinking in the third person and should stop now.

She continued on. "Stef was… my conscience. She was the one who always made sure that I did the right thing and that I always had a reason for doing something. And she was never afraid to tell me when I was screwing up or being a major bitch. Yeah she was definitely never afraid to tell me that. But even though she was occasionally harsh she was always a kind person and…I'll miss her. I'll miss her so much, I already do."

Oh no she could feel that unmistakable pressure in the backs of her eyes. Better wrap it before the water works start. She didn't even think that she even had any tears left in her with how often she'd found herself crying in the past week.

"I hope that she's happy wherever she is and that she knows that me and our best friend Donny who's sitting right there staring at me love her a lot. I think I speak for the both of us when I say that she'll never be forgotten. Thank you."

Rushing over to her chair she struggled to keep control. Who knew that even through the stuttering and random um's inserted throughout the mediocre speech that it would still manage to get to her.

Perhaps it was because everything she'd said was true. Stef really was missed and even if she lived for hundreds of years she would never forget the one human who she genuinely cared for. She'd never forget that Stef was stolen before her time, and she knew then that even if it took her until the day she died that she'd get revenge for that. Stef would be avenged, even if it killed her.

***

"Hey Bella, Donny, can I talk to you both for a sec?"

Bella looked up from the punch bowl to see Bree nervously standing in front of her. Her eyes were red and puffy but despite that she seemed to be impressively composed. Certainly more than she had been before.

"Sure."

Bree nodded and started walking toward the door, clearly expecting them to follow her. They traded a glance before going after her. She led them upstairs to, surprisingly, Stef's room. After they both filed in she closed the door quietly.

"I don't want anyone to hear us. My parents don't know about this." She explained.

"Know about what?" Donny asked her curiously.

Bree walked to a box on the table, Bella recognized it as Stef's jewelry box, and rummaged around in it for a second before pulling a piece of paper out of it. Coming back to them she unfolded it. "Stef told me about this a while ago. She said that she was making it in case anything happened to her."

Laughing without humor she gave the paper to Donny. The longer he read the higher his eyebrows traveled. "This is a will."

"A will?" Bella repeated. She turned her questioning gaze to Bree.

"Like I said Stef was making it in case something happened to her. It's not official or anything, it wouldn't be anything more than a piece of paper in court, but if my parents found out about it I'm sure that they'd honor it."

"But I don't see anyone's name on it." Donny said.

Bree nodded. "You wouldn't. Its main purpose from what Stef told me is to give you guys specifically the things of hers that she wanted you to have. Everything else is given to our parents for them to decide what to do with it." Bree stared at the ground for a second. "When Stef first told me about this I laughed. I thought that she was just being paranoid, because it wasn't like she would need it anytime soon. She was a teenager, not even out of high school at that time, there was no reason for her to have it but I told her that I'd give it to you when the time came.

I told her that and I meant it but I still didn't think that I'd ever have to. Apparently I was wrong. But can you really blame me for it, for not thinking there was any need? Can you?"

Bella got the feeling that Bree wasn't talking about the will anymore. She seemed too desperate, too upset over it. It was almost like she thought that it as her fault that Stef died. Bella didn't know what gave her that idea, that it was her fault, but there must be something that happened to make her think that it was. Maybe in time she'd find out what happened but for now she'd just have to try to comfort Bree as much as she could.

"No I can't blame you. No one can. It's not your fault."

"Not my fault," the younger girl shook her head, "if only that was true." Bree seemed to come out of her daze. "Anyway I suppose that's all. I'll give you two time to look over that. We can set up a time later so that you can get the stuff. It's probably better if the shock of Stef's death wears off before you ask my parents to give you any of her stuff. They aren't exactly willing to part with anything at the moment."

"That's understandable. We'll do that later." Donny hesitated a moment before putting his hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for this Bree. We know that it couldn't have been easy for you."

Bree looked at him for a second before nodding once more. "It's fine. You two take care of yourselves." Without another word she left the room.

"Izzy you okay?"

Bella sighed heavily. "I don't know Donny. I really don't know."

***

Unfortunately, as has already been established, Fate hated her and so therefore that was not the end of the awkward and potentially painful conversations. As soon as she and Donny had gotten back downstairs he had abandoned her in favor of finding a puddle to drown himself in leaving her to fend for herself.

She'd been looking for Charlie when she found herself literally running into Wyatt Halliwell. "Oh sor-Bella? I didn't think I'd get the chance to see you. How are you? Oh crap sorry that's a stupid question, forget I ever said that."

"It's okay Wyatt." For the first time in that incredibly depressing day she found herself genuinely laughing. Wyatt always had that effect on her. It really made her wonder why they ever broke up, until she actually remembered that is.

"And I'm okay by the way. Or at least as okay as I can be in light of, well, obvious events. How are you?"

"I'm good. Also glad that you're okay."

"Aw that's sweet of you. It's been-"She was interrupted by Henry J. appearing out of seemingly nowhere. He, as was usual, appeared to be bored and wishing he was somewhere else.

"Well if it isn't Izzy Stevenson. Heard your speech, it was without a doubt the most out there eulogy I've ever heard in my entire life."

"Oh really and exactly how many eulogies have you heard in your life Henry?"

"As of today, four."

She smiled in spite of herself. Ah the familiar notions of bantering with Henry. They didn't really hate each other as much as it might seem that they did. There's was a very odd friendship.

"Well then you really don't have any reason to say, well, anything then do you?"

"Sure I do. After all if I don't tell you who will?"

"I'm sure I'd find someone.'

"If you say so."

"I do."

"And I say that you're the most pathetic person I've ever met."

"Oh do you."

"Yes I do."

"You know I feel sorry for Paige and Henry, I really do. After all it can't be easy having an emotionless, psychopath for a son."

"Your parents dealt with you."

Wyatt, who she had completely forgotten about at this point, was glancing between them as if watching a tennis match. She knew that he wished they would get along better. He always was so optimistic. Even to this day she still found his optimism refreshing. Not surprising seeing as how she hung out with some of the most pessimistic people on the face of the planet. Henry being one of them.

"Touché, Henry. I've missed you."

"I haven't."

She smiled again. He could say that all he wanted but she knew that it wasn't true. "So have you seen Bree yet?"

This appeared to be enough to invoke one of his rare moments of emotion. "No. How is she? Not that I care or anything." He looked at the floor and appeared to be, dare she say or think it more like, blushing. Nope clearly he didn't care at all. You'd think that with him being such a good liar that he'd be able to lie a bit better than that. But then, emotion wasn't really Henry's forte.

"She's…dealing."

Seeing that Henry wasn't going to speak up anytime soon Wyatt rejoined the conversation, "That's good." He glanced at Henry in concern. "Well we'd better be going before Mom starts freaking out. But you and I should catch up sometime soon, get coffee or something."

"I'd like that Wyatt, I really would. I'll call you."

He beamed. "Great. See you around."

"Yeah, say hi to everyone for me."

"Will do."

She watched them as they walked through the crowd toward Chris who waved at her before they were gone too. Taking a sip of her punch she sighed. This funeral had proved to be just as tiring as she thought it would be. Let's hope that I don't have to repeat it anytime soon, she thought. Well better find Donny and Charlie. Their flight back left tomorrow and after that she wouldn't have much time before she and Donny had to confront the Cullen's.

Why did Fate hate her so much?

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**Hope the chapter wasn't too bad. So pretty soon I will be making a new poll about the sequel. My current question is: If given the choice which character would you like to learn more about?**


	12. Blazing Inferno, Only Not Really

**Here I am once again. Nearly five months and I said that I would update Thursday. I am a very bad Authoress. However to make up for that I have decided that I will post the first chapter of the sequel some time tomorrow. I would post it tonight but I decided to rewrite part of it so tomorrow it is.**

**So on with the last chapter of Skeletons. I must say I'm actually kind of sad that it's over. Though it took awhile this story was quite fun to write. I hope the sequel will be as fun to write, so far it is but that could change.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or Twilight and am making no money off of this.**

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**Blazing Inferno, Only Not Really**

The time had finally come.

In a little while she and Donny would be making their way to the Cullen's abnormally large house. With any luck they'd be out of there in ten point five minutes. Oh wait that would require her having luck on her side. Scratch that, they'll be out of there in ten point five hours.

She let her head fall back to hit the wall. For good measure she banged it against the wall a couple times while letting out a moan of despair.

"Izzy stop being so dramatic."

Glaring at Donny she stopped putting a dent in the wall. Look at him just sitting there reading a magazine on the couch like they wouldn't possibly be killing people soon. You'd swear that he didn't have a care in the world. Which he might not actually. She sure didn't despite the drama.

"I'm not being dramatic. I have a perfectly valid reason to act this way."

"Sure you do."

"Shut up." Heaving another completely-not-dramatic moan she stood up and proceeded to pace around her living room. If she couldn't put a dent in the wall then she would just have to settle for wearing away a hole in the carpet.

She didn't understand why she was so anxious about this. Sure if the Cullen's refused and she had to kill them then they would more than likely put up a bit of a fight but it was nothing that she couldn't handle. It's not like she'd never fought to the death before. Hell her entire job was fighting to the death. Well not really but after a while she'd found that more often than not her assignments ended with fights to the death.

She honestly had no idea why that was. You'd think that she wasn't a civilized person with how often she ended up having to kill someone she wasn't supposed to. In her defense they started it. Most of the time.

Ok so if it wasn't the whole possibly dying thing then what was it? She decided to ask Donny what he thought. "Donny what do you think?"

"What do I think about what?"

"You know."

"No actually I don't," he finally put the magazine down, "despite what you seem to think I can't actually read your mind."

"Well you should. I meant why do you think that I'm getting so anxious about this?" She plopped herself back down beside him on the couch before putting her head on his shoulder.

He put his arm around her shoulders. "How am I supposed to know Izzy?"

"Because you know me better than anyone. Or at least your constant smart ass comments in regards to me would suggest that you do."

"'Would suggest that you do' who really talks like that anymore?"

"Just answer the question."

"Fine. Well, I guess that," he thought about it for a minute, "um that," biting his lip like he always did at times like these he thought for another minute, "I don't know."

"You're a genius Donny."

"Well sorry but I really have no idea. Maybe you're just doing what you do best, freaking out spectacularly."

"That is not what I do best." She gave another drawn out moan of despair. Which was, just for the record, completely-not-dramatic. Really it wasn't. "And even if it was it wouldn't explain why I'm so nervous right now."

He gave her a pat on the back. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Let's get going." Getting up he threw the magazine on the couch, grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Lead the way Izzy, I have no idea where their house is."

Grumbling she obliged none the less and pulled him along behind her. Pretty soon this would all be over and then she and Donny could get out of there. They should do something fun. Maybe go to a club or something. Brightening up she got in the car and put her keys in the ignition for what might be the last time. She would really miss the truck. Though who knew, maybe Renee would let her bring it. Somehow she doubted that.

*******

Once again she was in the Cullen's living room. There were differences of course, they were all there and Donny was standing next to her for one, but it still made her think back to the last time she was there. Had it really only been little more than a week ago? It felt like it had been so long.

Just a week ago both her best friends were alive and she had had no hope of getting out of there anytime soon. Edward had thought that she was completely and totally devoted to him, well he still did but not for much longer, and was more than likely planning their wedding. He had no idea that even if she had been unable to move things along that she wouldn't have ever let that happen. No matter, he'd know soon enough. They all would. And for their sake they'd better see her side of things.

"So I'm sure that you're all wondering just why I asked for you to be here. Well I'm going to explain, but first I should probably introduce this weirdo standing next to me. This is my best friend Donny who I'm sure Edward has mentioned to you, and if things go well then you'll most likely be seeing him again and if not…well then you won't. Oh and he knows what you are."

That got a reaction.

"What!"

"Bella…" She couldn't quite tell what the look in Edward's eyes was. There was some definite betrayal and anger but also something else. However it was Rosalie that got her full attention.

"I knew it! I knew that she couldn't be trusted, I told you." Rosalie shouted in rage. "But you didn't believe me. You didn't care. You said that Edward trusted her and that was enough even though you knew that he couldn't read her mind. But then Edward always was your favorite, no one else's opinion matters…" She probably would have gone on if not for the fact that Carlisle interrupted her.

"Rosalie," it was said quietly but there was no doubting that it was a command, "calm down, I'm sure that Bella has a perfectly valid reason for telling someone." Rosalie stared at him for a moment before collapsing fuming into her chair. "Bella, please explain." For the first time she could remember Carlisle's eyes were hard and cold as he looked at her.

Okay calm and cool, you've done this a million times. And for the long deceased Source's sake don't stutter. "Let's get to the point. You have all known me for a little over a year now and so I'm sure feel like you know me pretty well. Well you're wrong." Confusion was evident on everyone but Jasper and Rosalie's faces. Of course, Jasper would have felt her deception from the start and Rosalie had never trusted her to begin with. She briefly wondered why Jasper had not told the others before pushing it out of her mind. It didn't matter and she had a mission to complete.

"For one thing my name isn't Bella Swan, its Isabella Stevenson. Stevenson was my maternal grandmother's maiden name and when I was born my mother was already thinking about leaving Charlie but she still cared about him and so decided that for his protection I should have a different surname so that no one would draw any immediate connections between us. I guess I should explain that a bit." The confusion was still there but she could detect a bit of anger and even more betrayal from Edward.

"You see in certain circles my mom is quite famous, or I suppose I should say infamous, it really depends on what side you're on. A lot of people, most people wouldn't consider them people but I grew up around them so to me they're more normal than anyone else, see her as a savior. She returned a spread out, back stabbing world to its former glory. But I can see that you still don't get it, I'll have to go back further for you to understand but I don't know how to explain it."

She looked at Donny for help. He was always better at this part than she was; besides she wanted to see how the Cullen's were taking everything. Donny got the message and picked up for her, "I don't know you and you don't know me but I've met people like you and so I'm fairly certain that you aren't as aware of the world as you think you are." That got some offended looks. Carlisle, however, instead leaned forward in interest.

"Izzy and I," he gestured to the two of them, "aren't from your world as you already know. However we're not from the human world either. There is another world, one that's arguably even more complicated than yours is. This world is a world of magic." Rosalie snorted. Bella couldn't blame her; Donny could be even more dramatic than she was at times.

Going on as if he hadn't heard her Donny continued, "In this world there are these beings called witches, now this witches are pretty much just regular people with magical powers. Spells, potions, and typically at least one power of their own, their power level ranges but even the weakest witch can still put up a fight if they know how. Now as nearly all fantasy novels will tell you there is an opposing evil that these witches must fight against. This opposing evil force is called a demon. Demon's can look like big, dripping goo monsters like all those some stories tell you but the most powerful demons in fact look like any other person.

Under the outer badass, I'm-evil-and-soulless exterior most even act like any other person. Granted they _are_ evil and enjoy killing people, with the exception of a few weirdoes but we're going to ignore them for now, but aside from that they're your average person. Some are nice, others are complete and total jackasses, some amazingly manage to be both at once."

Bella snickered, wasn't that the truth, her mom could be the poster woman for it. Noticing the looks she was getting from everyone in the room she cleared her throat and gestured to Donny to go on. Edward was still looking at her as if he was seeing her for the first time and he sort of was if she thought about it.

Donny, used to her interrupting his stories, once more continued. "Now the demons have a hierarchy that is taken very seriously. It's changed a bit in the past twenty years or so, before the Underworld, which is where most demons live and is literally Hell, was ruled by the Source of All Evil up until the last one was killed by The Charmed Ones. I'd tell you who they are but then I'd be getting off topic because that is a _long_ story…"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Rosalie snapped.

Donny stared at her for a moment before letting out an irritated sigh. "I was getting to that." He resumed explaining the hierarchy of the Underworld and despite what he said did end up telling them who the Charmed Ones were without actually mentioning their names.

Bella was observing the Cullen's. Most of them had looked confused and vaguely bored throughout Donny's drawn out story. Edward she avoided looking at as she already knew that his expression had not changed at all during this entire encounter.

The head of the Cullen family didn't take his eyes off of Donny as he told of the Underworld and the eternal battle between the witches and demons. She could practically see him committing it all to memory. Briefly she thought about how all of this must sound to an outsider. How would she feel if she found out that not only did witches and demons and _magic_ exist but that someone she'd trusted had been a part of it all along?

Honestly it was hard to say. She'd been raised from birth to never assume that what you see is the truth. Her mother had told her over and over again to never, ever trust a person without good reason and to never let her guard down.

She'd never questioned any of that. Even when she was young she'd still seen enough to support what Renee had always told her. It wasn't until she met Stef that she'd even wondered about things like that. About what life would be like if she was a normal human being. About how maybe that wasn't the right way to live your life.

If she found out what the Cullen's were right then she'd feel terrible. She'd feel betrayed and angry and hurt. But she wasn't in their position, she had never had that happen to her and because of Renee's life lessons never would. And besides life has never been fair, and it has never gone the way that you want it to. In the end everyone is always out for themselves, that's what she had heard all her life and that's what she continued to believe.

"Donny I'll take over from here." Donny, who had finished the long history lesson, nodded and stepped back for her to take center stage.

She cleared her throat again and when she spoke her voice was cold and emotionless. Here it was, the moment of truth, after this there were only two ways this could end. "You're confused I know. You're wondering why we told you all this and why we called you hear because we still haven't told you." Facing Carlisle the next words were meant for all to hear but were only directed to him, "We're here to make a business proposition."

To his credit he was able to hide most of his surprise. "A business proposition?"

"Yes. The reason Donny told you all that he did was because for the last nineteen years there has been a new leader in the Underworld. Of course her leadership was kept quiet to all those outside of the Underworld until ten years ago when she decided that she was strong enough to reveal herself to everyone.

A smart move, but then from the very beginning she based her entire power play on learning from the mistakes of her predecessors. She'd actually been planning to overthrow the Source for quite some time before she ended up becoming Queen." Admiration slipped into her voice. She might not always get along with her mother but she sure as hell admired her.

"My mother, Renee, has always dreamed of ruling the Underworld. Well now that dream is a reality."

She nearly burst out laughing at the expressions they all had. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Donny bite his lip for much the same reason she put her hand over her mouth. Their faces, she'd never imagined that the Cullen's could ever look like that.

"She is now Queen and sole ruler of the Underworld. There isn't anything that goes on that she doesn't know about, she has spies everywhere in the Underworld and in most parts of the magical community, and the amazing thing is, not all of her spies or followers are demons. Not all of them can even be considered to be on the side of evil either. Needless to say, Renee will not be overthrown for a very long time."

That was a bit of an understatement; Renee is flat out worshipped in some places, it was unlikely she would ever be overthrown. Never has a Source been so universally liked, well she wasn't technically a Source, what with the Grimoire having been dropped into a volcano and everything, but it's essentially the same position.

"So here's my proposition to you, join Renee's order and you can continue to live your lives as you currently are, but know that you will be expected to carry out whatever Renee asks you to no matter how…morally questionable it may be. But you also get paid for doing that so I think it all evens out nicely. Any questions?"

She looked around eagerly. _Please say no, please say no, please say_—"Yes actually."—_damn it!_

Plastering on a fake smile she said, "Of course, ask away," she gestured for emphasis.

"Exactly what would we have to do?"

"How much do we get paid?"

Esme and Emmet had both spoken at once. Bella had to physically restrain herself from ripping out her hair; this was going to take forever. She decided to answer both at once, "It depends for both. Renee could ask you, or tell Todd to ask you which is what typically happens for most people, to do anything really and depending on what it is you might get paid differently. Typically long term missions and more important missions pay the most."

And like the domino effect described, after that it all came crashing down. Question after question was fired at her. Useless questions from "does Renee have a harem?" to difficult ones like "was everything you have done in the last year a lie?"

She decided that it was a bit too early to let them know that everything was in fact a lie and so stuck to the story she'd originally told them about the re-marriage and how she lied about who she was because it was the only way to keep her safe and Renee only told her to make the proposition a week ago. With the exception of Jasper (obviously) and Rosalie (shocker) they all seemed to believe her.

She discreetly nudged Donny and inclined her head slightly towards the door. He understood instantly and hastily made up an excuse to leave the house, "I need a smoke, do you mind?" They didn't, he gave her a nod on the way out and made sure to close the door behind him.

With all there attention focused on her they probably wouldn't notice him whispering a spell. If the Cullen's refused they would have to be killed and she couldn't risk them leaving the house. The spell would ensure that no one would be able to set foot anywhere farther than the porch; she'd dismantle it when it was time to go.

"Do you think you could give us some time to discuss this?" Carlisle asked her.

Hearing an actually decent question threw her off a bit. She found herself staring blankly at him for a second before the question fully processed through her mind, "Oh, uh yeah. But I can only give you thirty minutes; Renee's expecting to hear from me soon."

He inclined his head to her, "Fair enough." She left and sat outside on the porch. It was nearly sunset; when they'd gotten there it hadn't even been close. Ten minutes, who was she deluding into thinking it would be over that quickly. She sighed.

Hearing the sound of light footsteps in front of her she looked at the sky as Donny sat next to her. "So…"

"Done."

She nodded. They were silent after that. The sun continued to sink beneath the horizon. When it was gone she stood and they walked back into the house together. "Time's up. Your answer."

Carlisle spoke for the group. It wasn't necessary; she could tell by his expression what he would say. "We have discussed the various pros and cons of your proposition and considered what you have said and have decided that, while it could be beneficial to us, it goes against what we stand for and so we will have to decline your offer."

"Huh, is that so? And you all agree with this?" It looked for a second like Jasper might say that he disagreed but at the last second he stopped himself and instead nodded. She once more got the feeling that there was something more going on there. He knew more than he was letting on she was sure of it. However it didn't matter anymore, it stopped potentially mattering the moment he agreed with the rest.

"Well if that's the case then I suppose there's just one thing left to do." And with that she hurled a fire ball at Carlisle. Pandemonium broke out. The next hour was a blur of fire vs. teeth, demon vs. vampire, and most of all the exhilarating feeling that always came with the kill.

*******

They stood in the driveway looking at the blazing fire that had once been a house. This way the Cullen's death wouldn't be questioned. The police would assume that it was a common house fire that got out of control; anyone who thought differently would be convinced otherwise by Charlie.

She wasn't sure how to feel about this entire thing. On the one hand the past year had been close to torture and that was saying something considering she had been through actual torture, on the other she actually sort of liked some of the Cullen's. She shrugged, it didn't matter, it was just another mission.

"You ready?"

Bella looked at Donny and then at her truck. "She's not going to let me keep it is she?" He shook his head sadly. "Thought not, "she took her suitcases out of the truck, she'd get what was left at Charlie's another time, "and after all the trouble Charlie went through to get it for me. What a waste." She gave the truck one more mournful look before destroying it. A quick spell sent the remaining pieces to some other dimension.

The story would be that Bella Swan had gone to visit Edward and found the house on fire. Knowing there was no way he survived she skipped town and went back to live with her mother but not before declaring that she would never set foot in Forks again. There were some flaws to the story but they were minor and Charlie said he'd take care of them.

She's made sure to thank him before she left. He'd done so much for her while she'd been here; she honestly wasn't sure how she'd ever be able to repay him. Maybe she'd get him a cruise ticket for his birthday, he could use a vacation.

"So what do you say we drop these," she lifted the suitcases, "off and then go out?"

Donny hid a smile, "What about Renee?"

She beamed brightly at him, "She can wait."

"Well in that case, where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere, everywhere."

"We better get stated then."

"Agreed."

A second later they were gone, leaving behind a once grand house and whatever was left of its inhabitants to burn to ash.

Neither of them ever did go back to that place. Bella would have many missions after that but none of them ever bored her quite as much as that one did. Most of them were small and short, as a matter of fact she wouldn't have her next big mission for another three years.

But that is another story.

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**Well that's the end. I hope you have all enjoyed this story and will enjoy the sequel as well. Thanks to all those who read, reviewed, story alerted, or favorited, you're all awesome. And with that I bid you Adieu.**


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